Buzzy NYC nightclub announces ban on smart glasses

Key Points:

• Basement, a Berlin-inspired techno nightclub in Queens, has banned smart glasses, prohibiting patrons from wearing or carrying them, with violators facing removal or permanent bans to protect privacy and uphold their no photo/video policy.
• The ban addresses concerns over smart glasses' discreet recording capabilities, which can be used to film people without consent, raising privacy and safety issues on the dance floor.
• The policy has received strong support on social media, with many praising the club for maintaining a private, phone-free environment and criticizing the normalization of surveillance technology in social settings.
• The controversy follows incidents earlier this year where individuals used Meta’s smart glasses to harass women by secretly filming and sharing videos online, prompting Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri to ban such content on the platform.
• Meta has responded by implementing measures to prevent misuse of their smart glasses, including disabling cameras when users attempt to hide recording indicators and developing a patented kill switch to disable sensors if abused.