Google Glass: Privacy Vs. Style.

There has been a spate of assaults on people wearing Google Glass, seemingly based only on the fact that they love new tech. It appears these assaults are due to the possibility that the attackers are being filmed – and they don’t like it. These incidents, however shocking, raise an interesting point; where do we draw the line between augmenting one’s life and the privacy of another?

Google are promising that they will be transparent with the recording function (a red light will appear no less!), but already there have been fears that everything you see is going to be recorded. We have been carrying smartphones that can record sound for years and even take a sneaky photo if angled correctly. So what’s the difference? Has the mark been overstepped because the camera is an extension of the eye line rather than tucked away in your pocket?

The privacy debate will no doubt rumble on until we all have them. But how will Google refine its design to be more appealing to the mass market? Clearly they have been designed function first, and are perfect to attract the early adopters. But as we’re seeing fashion playing an increasingly large role in tech design what will Google do? They can’t make them look like ‘normal’ glasses else we’d be up in arms about our personal privacy. Or can they?

Well, with the latest news that Google will be teaming up with the designers behind Ray-Ban and Oakley, it seems that the debate will reach a head soon. Cool-looking privacy-intruding sunglasses? Or 1980’s sci-fi geek-specs? We’ll have to see…

Rob Meldrum
Innovation Director UK
@rcmeldrum