Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) launched its first smart glassses on Thursday in partnership with Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica (OTC: ESLOY), and now Italian authorities want clarification on how the glasses will function, according to a Reuters report.
What happened: The social media giant has introduced the glasses line, called “Ray-Ban Stories,” with a starting price tag of $299. The glasses are able to capture photos and videos using hands-free voice commands. Facebook says an LED light on the glasses alerts other people when a wearer is taking a photo or video.
The Italian watchdog, Garante, is calling on Ireland’s data protection commissioner, where Facebook’s European headquarters are located, to get additional clarification on the capabilities of the glasses. Italian authorities would like the Irish agency to assess if the product is compliant with privacy laws.
Why It’s Important: The Italian regulator wants to know what kinds of steps Facebook has taken to protect people from being unknowingly filmed, especially children.
Facebook has said it would not access the media generated from the smart-glasses without the consent of customers. The company says the glasses will be an “ads-free experience” and any photos or videos captured by the glasses and stored in the Facebook View app would not be used.
Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash
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