Kmart's $89 camera-equipped smart glasses have disappeared from the retailer's website two months after the devices sparked national backlash and were branded 'pervert glasses' by the Greens.
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devices → equip → Greens
The Anko smart glasses, which were able to take photos and record video via a camera built into the frame, were no longer available to purchase on Kmart's website as of Thursday.
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which → take → Thursday
The product, which sold out in less than a week when it was launched on July 28, had offered a cheap alternative to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses which start at $679.
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which → sell → 679
It comes as the Australian Privacy Commissioner investigates the technology amid concerns that hackers could access servers containing photos, videos and personal information.
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hackers → come → photos
The glasses use the Chinese-owned HeyCyan app, which allows them to connect to other devices via Bluetooth and provides functions including recording, music and phone calls.
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them → use → recording
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the company behind the app had failed to respond to questions about how users' photos and videos were recorded and stored.
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photos → say → questions
'I have no assurance that it is protecting personal data of Australians as required by the Privacy Act,' she said.
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she → have → Act
'The Australian community has expressed its concern about the proliferation of smart glasses and other surveillance wearables.
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community → express → glasses
'
Kmart is no longer advertising its $89 camera-equipped smart glasses on its website (stock)
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Kmart → advertise → website
The camera-equipped glasses initially sold out in less than a week but are no longer listed on Kmart's website following months of backlash
Kind added: 'Given the particular risks the OAIC has identified with the HeyCyan app, I would urge responsible retailers to consider whether it is appropriate to continue making these devices available.'
Kmart's $39 Speaker Glasses, which give customers the ability to listen to music or hands-free calls on the go, are still listed on the website.
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which → equip → website
The Greens branded the video-capable technology as 'pervert glasses' and launched a petition for a 12-month import ban while parliament updates privacy laws.
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parliament → brand → laws
They argued the camera-equipped eyewear could allow people to secretly film women and children without their knowledge.
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people → argue → knowledge
'Meta's camera-glasses and the Kmart and Temu knock-offs let anyone secretly film you, your kids or a stranger in a change room, with no warning and no consent,' the petition said.
'
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petition → let → warning
Our privacy laws were written decades before this technology ever existed, and big tech is exploiting the gap.'
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tech → write → gap
The campaign points to Monash University research that found a significant number of smart-glasses owners admitted filming people without their consent, including at beaches, workplaces and change rooms.
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number → point → beaches
Kmart at the time described the glasses as part of an 'established and increasingly mainstream category' of wearable technology.
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Kmart → describe → technology
The glasses were marketed as a cheaper alternative to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses
A campaign to have the glasses removed was also launched by activist Gina Martin, who petitioned Kmart group managing director Aleksandra Spaseska to take the devices off its shelves and website.
More than 57,000 members of the campaign group GetUp signed the petition, according to the advocacy group.
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members → market → group
GetUp interim chief executive Paul Ferris welcomed the glasses no longer being listed online, saying Kmart appeared to have 'seen the writing on the wall'.
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Kmart → welcome → wall
Concerns over covert recording and non-consensual surveillance raised by Ms Martin were echoed by Milica Stilinovic, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sydney's Governing Immersive Tech project, who urged governments to do more to protect Australians.
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who → raise → Australians
She warned that cheaper smart glasses often came with questionable data-retention practices and recording lights that were difficult to see or missing altogether.
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that → warn → practices
'State and federal governments must urgently answer the call to step up and protect Australians against non-consensual recording, data breaches, and basic notions of privacy,' Dr Stilinovic told news.com.au.
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Stilinovic → answer → news.com.au
'We should be very concerned with non-consensual filming in public areas such as beaches, where this type of covert recording particularly impacts women and minors who might be undressing or wearing swimsuits.
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who → impact → swimsuits
'Our research showed increased use of smart glasses among pick-up artists who later upload the footage online and further subject women to abusive commentary on their bodies, identification, and even doxxing.'
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland declined to rule out further government action over camera-equipped smart glasses
Last month, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland declined to rule out further government action over camera-equipped smart glasses.
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Rowland → show → glasses
'I think it's important to acknowledge the serious concerns that many Australians have about these devices,' she said.
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she → think → devices
'Research shows that some point-of-view material that has been uploaded has actually shown some 60 per cent of instances where you could classify that type of content as harassment.
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you → show → harassment
Rowland said the risks were particularly serious for children, women and victims of violence or coercive control.
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risks → say → violence
However, she stressed that the Government's review of privacy laws was not specifically considering import restrictions.
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review → stress → restrictions
'We are not specifically in this consultation consulting on an import ban,' she said.
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she → consult → ban
'As I'm sure you'd appreciate, an import ban is a matter that would have consequences across government, including across trade, foreign affairs and other potential legal obligations.'
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that → appreciate → trade
The Daily Mail has contacted Kmart for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
The Aporia
