Norway’s authorities will suggest a brief ban on the usage of AI glasses in chosen public locations and can appoint an knowledgeable group to advise on everlasting nationwide regulation of body-worn expertise, the Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance mentioned in an October 5, 2026 announcement.
Scope of the Proposed Ban
The ministry mentioned the momentary ban would make it prohibited to make use of AI glasses in chosen locations. It might apply to locations the place the general public often gathers, reminiscent of parks, bathing seashores, museums, procuring facilities, and public occasions. A truth part within the announcement additionally lists playgrounds, amusement parks, and sports activities, music, and cultural occasions as attainable lined areas.
The ban might additional cowl locations and occasions for kids, together with faculties, kindergartens, playgrounds, and leisure golf equipment. The ministry said that youngsters have a proper to particular safety, and that it could additionally grow to be related to incorporate higher-level training establishments. Individually, the federal government will take into account whether or not the ban ought to lengthen to universities, faculties, and different training establishments.
A 3rd class covers locations the place privateness is especially vital. The announcement names well being establishments (together with medical doctors’ places of work), swimming swimming pools, gyms, and different locations with altering rooms and bathe services.
Expertise Scope, Exemptions, and No Complete Ban
The ministry mentioned it’s going to study extra intently which expertise the ban ought to cowl. The choices underneath examination embrace glasses with a digital camera and audio recording, glasses with a digital camera and AI performance, and probably different body-worn expertise geared up with a digital camera, audio recording, and/or AI.
The announcement states that exemptions from the ban will likely be offered in order that weak teams could be exempted and to allow socially helpful use in delimited instances.
The federal government just isn’t proposing a complete ban on AI glasses and different body-worn expertise. The ministry mentioned such expertise would nonetheless be permitted in sure locations in addition to in purely non-public use, for instance the place there isn’t a threat of filming or photographing different folks with out their consent.
Minister’s Rationale and Subsequent Steps
Digitalisation and Public Governance Minister Torgeir Micaelsen of the Labour Celebration mentioned he’s involved that new, highly effective expertise is being launched in settings the place folks threat being photographed, filmed, or audio-recorded with out realizing it. He mentioned the proposed momentary ban would offer time for a radical evaluation and an knowledgeable public debate that would lay the groundwork for everlasting regulation.
Micaelsen mentioned the federal government doesn’t desire a society during which folks fear about hidden audio recordings, images, and filming in locations and conditions the place they’re accustomed to being unmonitored. Such a society can really feel unsafe and trigger folks to withdraw, he mentioned.
The ministry mentioned work on the momentary ban is very prioritized, and the federal government will return to the Storting, Norway’s parliament, with a invoice as quickly as attainable. In parallel, the knowledgeable group will likely be appointed to conduct a radical evaluation of challenges tied to body-worn expertise and to advise on everlasting regulation.
Earlier Push for Stricter Good-Glasses Guidelines
The transfer follows an August 25, 2026 announcement from the identical ministry, during which Karianne Tung, then the digitalisation and public governance minister, mentioned she wished to manage good glasses and comparable units extra strictly than underneath present guidelines. Tung mentioned such regulation might, for instance, embrace banning capabilities reminiscent of facial recognition of different folks in public areas, describing privateness as underneath strain from new expertise.
That announcement mentioned the transfer was in keeping with enter from Datatilsynet, Norway’s knowledge safety authority, and Forbrukerrådet, the Client Council, on inspecting the room to manage any such expertise. Tung pointed to what she described as a transparent development of synthetic intelligence being mixed with cameras and microphones constructed into objects reminiscent of glasses, earbuds, caps, and different on a regular basis objects, and mentioned that use of such gear to watch others in public areas have to be prevented.
Tung additionally deliberate to nominate an knowledgeable group to work rapidly on alternate options and proposals for regulating good glasses, earbuds, and different units that now include cameras and built-in AI options, with the federal government then to evaluate and ship out for session any proposals for brand new regulation. She urged leaders in the private and non-private sectors to contemplate whether or not good glasses and comparable units must be permitted of their premises and workplaces. The August launch famous that Training Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun had already urged Norwegian faculties to manage smart-glasses use of their conduct guidelines.
