Smart glasses are becoming a popular holiday gift They offer hands-free convenience and instant access to information without touching your phone.
However, in Pennsylvania, using them incorrectly could get you into legal trouble.
The Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses look harmless, but the built-in recording feature raises some serious privacy concerns especially here in Pennsylvania.
Meta first introduced its smart glasses in 2021, and newer versions are now drawing attention this holiday season as more people consider them as gifts. The glasses retail starting at $379, a cost that some say is worth it.
“Oh, I use them every day at this point. I run them dead, and then I charge them, and I put them back on,” said Erie resident Jeff Hassett. For Hassett, the hands-free design is more than just convenient.
Hassett owns and legally sells venomous snakes, often filming educational videos while handling dangerous animals where stopping to grab a phone isn’t an option.
That same ability to quietly record raises privacy concerns, especially when others may not realize they’re being filmed.
“So, Pennsylvania is a two-party consent state, so when you are recording something in a private setting, you have to have the other party’s consent to record them.” According to attorney Seth Trott.
Legal experts stated that includes any private conversation where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
“It’s really interesting, and they’re really neat, and they have utility in certain places, but if you’re going out and just kind of purchasing them and using them, and you don’t really understand the legal minefield that you could be walking into, you could end up in some trouble, for sure.”
Trott warns that recording a private conversation without consent can be charged as a third-degree felony in the state of Pennsylvania.
While glasses like Meta’s Ray-Ban seem like a fun holiday gift this season, it is worthwhile to pause and think about the legality behind using them.