Courts in England and Wales ban Meta smart glasses
Court authorities in England and Wales will confiscate Meta smart glasses at entrances and return them when users leave, citing restrictions on recording inside judicial buildings.
In short
- Court authorities in England and Wales will confiscate Meta smart glasses at entrances and return them when users leave, citing restrictions on recording inside judicial buildings.
Courts and tribunals in England and Wales have prohibited Meta smart glasses, extending restrictions on recording inside judicial buildings to wearable devices capable of capturing video.
His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service said on August 11, 2026, that anyone arriving with the glasses will have them held at the entrance and returned on departure. The agency said taking images or video in courts and tribunals is restricted, and unauthorized recording in a court building can be prosecuted as contempt of court.
The policy treats smart glasses differently from phones. Lawyers and visitors may generally bring smartphones into court buildings on the condition that they are not used to record proceedings, while Meta glasses must be surrendered at entry.
The decision follows concerns that wearable cameras can record less conspicuously than handheld devices. New York’s court system introduced a similar prohibition in July, according to the source report. Some British restaurants, theatres and pubs have also restricted the glasses over privacy concerns.
Meta said the glasses display a pulsing light while recording and use tamper-detection technology intended to prevent users from covering that indicator. The company declined to comment specifically on the court policy.
