Norway's government wants to temporarily prohibit the use of AI glasses in selected places where people could be photographed, filmed or recorded without knowing it. The government said on October 5 that it would bring a bill to the Storting, Norway's parliament, as soon as it can. It has announced a plan to propose a restriction, not a rule that has taken effect.
The government announcement gives examples of places it may cover. They include parks, beaches, museums, shopping centres and public events; schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and youth clubs; and places where privacy is especially important, including healthcare facilities and gyms with changing rooms or showers. Universities and colleges are also under consideration. These are possible locations, not a final list of prohibited sites.
The possible reach includes ordinary public places, as well as facilities with changing rooms or showers. The government is concerned that glasses can capture images or sound without people nearby knowing. Digitalisation Minister Torgeir Micaelsen said a temporary measure would give Norway time to examine the technology and debate permanent regulation.
What has yet to be decided
The government has not settled which devices the temporary restriction would cover. Its announcement says officials will examine whether it should apply to glasses with a camera and audio recording, glasses that combine a camera with AI features, or a wider range of wearable devices with cameras, audio recording or AI. The distinction matters for users and venue managers: the name “AI glasses” does not yet define the reach of a future rule.
The government says it is not seeking a total ban. It expects that the technology could still be used in some places and for private purposes, and it plans to consider narrow exceptions for vulnerable groups and socially useful uses. The exact wording, locations, exceptions and start date would depend on a bill and the process that follows. The October 5 announcement does not establish any of those details as law.
Separately, the government plans to appoint an expert group to study wearable technology and advise on lasting national regulation. That longer review runs alongside the proposed temporary measure. Associated Press independently reported the government's plans and the unresolved question of where a restriction would apply.
The big change
Norway has moved from expressing concern about AI glasses to preparing a location-based legislative proposal. For a bystander, the question is whether wearing a recording-capable device in a particular shared space will be restricted. For a venue manager or glasses user, the useful next document is the bill itself: it should show which devices and places are covered and how exceptions would work. Until then, the announcement signals the government's direction, not a new nationwide prohibition.
Sources & further reading
- Norwegian government, “Vil innføre midlertidig forbud mot KI-briller” (October 5, 2026). The primary announcement gives the intended parliamentary step, example places, undecided technology scope, planned exceptions and expert group. It is a statement of government intent, not enacted legislation.
- Associated Press, “Privacy concerns put smart glasses under scrutiny as Norway seeks temporary ban” (October 5, 2026). Independent reporting corroborates the policy stage and selected-place scope, and supplies context for the debate. Its examples do not turn the government's possible list into final law.
