Privacy Probe Launched Over Kmart's Smart Glasses Amid Surveillance Concerns

• •Australian privacy regulator investigates Shenzhen Qingcheng over smart glasses app.
• •Public outrage led to over 55,000 signatures on a petition against the glasses.
• •Proposed reforms may enhance privacy protections for surveillance devices.

The Australian privacy regulator has initiated an investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng, the company behind the HeyCyan app used in Kmart's smartglasses, following public backlash over their covert surveillance capabilities. The glasses, branded as 'pervert glasses', were removed from Kmart's website after a petition garnered over 55,000 signatures calling for restrictions on their use. Reports of misuse, including a case involving a registered sex offender filming children, have heightened concerns about privacy violations. The investigation aims to assess the implications of these devices under current privacy laws, which may not adequately cover individual users. Proposed reforms could strengthen protections against surveillance by requiring a 'fair and reasonable' test for data collection. Local councils have begun banning these glasses in sensitive public spaces, and the federal government is considering further restrictions.