Cinema operators in the United Kingdom are beginning to restrict the use of camera-enabled smart glasses, including Meta’s increasingly popular AI eyewear, as the technology creates a new set of questions around film piracy, customer privacy and accessibility.
The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) said operators are aware of the increasing use of wearable technology such as smart glasses and “the extent to which these can provide benefits to those with specific access requirements.” At the same time, cinemas are “mindful of the issues around privacy and film piracy” created by the technology. As a result, UKCA says many operators are introducing policies to prohibit or restrict camera-enabled smart glasses in their venues.
Unlike someone holding up a smartphone during a screening, smart glasses can be difficult for cinema staff to spot. Current Meta models resemble conventional eyewear while incorporating cameras, microphones and hands-free recording capabilities, creating an obvious enforcement challenge for exhibitors attempting to prevent unauthorized recording.
The accessibility issue makes a blanket prohibition less straightforward. The same technology that could potentially be used to record copyrighted material may also provide meaningful assistance to guests with disabilities or other access needs. UKCA called this “clearly a developing area” and said it will continue working with its members to ensure their approach remains “relevant and proportionate.”
The issue is unlikely to remain confined to the UK. As camera-equipped eyewear becomes more commonplace, exhibitors around the world will need policies that protect copyrighted content and customer privacy without unnecessarily excluding guests who use wearable technology for accessibility. Deciding what is permitted inside an auditorium may ultimately prove easier than enforcing those rules. The industry has spent years learning how to deal with smartphones. Smart glasses present much the same problem, only this time the camera may be considerably harder to see.