Bathers have a legal right to remain unnoticed.
Germany bans smart glasses in pools: the end of the era of hidden filming? Potsdam has become the first city in Germany to ban smart glasses with cameras and microphones in pools and saunas. Authorities explained the decision simply: such devices can be used for covertly filming people in vulnerable situations.
"These devices allow for discreet photography and video recording without the participants being immediately aware of it," stated the resolution of the parliamentary group "Greens/Volt." "Currently, recordings are increasingly being published on social media without the knowledge of the victims."
Bathers have a legal right to remain unnoticed, and they need to be protected from the improper use of "smart" glasses.
The rules for using public baths in Potsdam already prohibit taking photographs and videos with media devices. Now this provision will be expanded to include a ban on the use of "smart" glasses.
The use of "smart" glasses had not previously caused problems, reported rbb Björn Meding, manager of the public baths in Potsdam. Now the staff will undergo training and be made aware of this issue so that they can recognize such glasses. This is because "smart" glasses are now virtually indistinguishable from regular glasses.
The decision comes at a timely moment. Already this year, Google and Samsung plan to release new models of smart glasses, and interest in such gadgets will only grow.
The question of where the convenience of technology ends and the violation of personal boundaries begins is becoming increasingly acute. And the example of Potsdam shows: cities will not wait for the state to adopt unified rules — they will start acting on their own.
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