Spy Glasses Under Global Ban, Pakistan Follows: Where in the World Are Secret Camera Glasses Allowed and Where Are They Banned?

*LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:* Sale is legal as a gadget, use is illegal as a spy tool – that is the global consensus emerging on AI-enabled spy camera glasses. As Lahore High Court Chief Justice Alia Neelam ordered the matter to be placed before the Federal Cabinet, Pakistan has joined a worldwide crackdown that started from New York courtrooms to Oslo schools.

*LHC Takes Strict Notice*

Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Alia Neelam took strict notice of illegal import and open sale of spy camera glasses and ordered the Ministry of Commerce to place the matter before the Federal Cabinet for a national policy.

The order was passed on a petition by citizen Nadra Bibi through Advocate Shahram Saqi, who argued that glasses fitted with hidden cameras are being sold openly at Hafeez Centre Lahore, superstores and online without any PTA approval or NOC.

The court also directed FBR Customs to submit a comprehensive report on all illegally imported spy gadgets. Next hearing is on November 11.

Chief Justice Alia Neelam observed:

> “What were the concerned departments doing that such sensitive items are being sold openly? If a video of someone is made and uploaded on social media, what will be the consequences?”

Member Customs, FBR failed to appear despite clear orders and tendered unconditional apology after the court sought his flight details.

*What Are These Glasses?*

A tiny camera hidden in the frame, activated by button or voice command, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to stream directly to a phone or cloud. Features include audio recording, calls, music, AI assistance and navigation. From Rs. 3,000 Chinese models to over Rs. 100,000 for Ray-Ban Meta.

*Are They Allowed Internationally?*

*Yes, sale is allowed, but use is banned in sensitive places. No country allows secret recording without consent.*

*1. United States:* Sale allowed. Banned from all 1,240 New York court facilities from July 20, 2026. Visitors must surrender the device at the door. New York cited that the LED indicator cannot substitute for confiscation.

*2. United Kingdom:* Sale allowed, but courts in England and Wales have banned them under anti-recording laws. UK Cinema Association has asked operators to ban them inside theatres. Pubs, theatres, Comic-Con events and Faslane naval base have imposed private bans after complaints of women being secretly filmed.

*3. European Union:* Not banned outright as of October 2026, but use is heavily restricted under GDPR. The European Data Protection Board on October 13, 2026 ruled that household exemption applies only if footage stays within family. Once posted on social media or used for professional purposes, wearer becomes data controller and needs legal basis. Continuous recording on public safety grounds is not justified.

In Germany, Section 8 TDDDG prohibits equipment disguised as an ordinary object that can secretly record. Hamburg Data Protection Commissioner Thomas Fuchs personally tested the glasses and found the LED too inconspicuous, and started issuing fines. The case relies on the 2017 Cayla Doll precedent, when Germany ordered destruction of a doll with hidden mic. France’s CNIL has launched an action plan with penalty up to 1 year in prison or 45,000 euro fine for recording in private places.

Netherlands: Optical chain Hans Anders has stopped selling Ray-Ban Meta in Netherlands and Belgium.

*4. Norway – First to propose temporary nationwide ban:* On October 5, 2026, the Norwegian government announced it would seek a temporary ban in parks, beaches, shopping centres, museums, schools, healthcare facilities and gyms. Oslo has already banned them in schools since August 2026. The government clarified it is not seeking a blanket ban and will allow exemptions for assistance to blind and visually impaired persons.

*5. Australia:* Federal government is considering banning them in government workplaces. Western Australia banned them in public schools on October 12, 2026.

*6. Spain:* Product legal to sell, but Penal Code Article 197 makes recording in private spaces – homes, bathrooms, locker rooms – without consent illegal.

*Why LED Does Not Work:*

Meta says a small LED glows when recording. A peer-reviewed study by Tsinghua University and University of Utah at CHI 2026 found the notification “inadequate” as a bystander safeguard. Sellers on Amazon still market LED-blocking stickers for “discreet recording in business meetings.”

*Why Chief Justice Alia Neelam’s Order is Historic for Privacy, Women and Children:*

Justice Alia Neelam, as one of the most senior women judges, linked privacy to women’s safety. Global reports show the glasses being misused to film women and girls in gyms and pools.

The order also converges with Minute Mirror’s Safe Scroll investigation. UNICEF’s Disrupting Harm Report (September 3, 2026) found 1.5 million children aged 12-17 – one in 16 – suffered online abuse in one year in Pakistan, with 85% perpetrators known and conviction rate of 1% in Punjab.

On October 15, just hours after LHC order, Ministry of Human Rights launched National Strategy to End Violence Against Children 2026-2031 and notified 1121 as National Safe Scroll Helpline, initiating process under PEMRA Ordinance Section 20(e).

All relevant ministries are now on notice: Commerce to move Federal Cabinet, Interior and NCCIA to compile complaints, PTA to decide type-approval under Section 29 of Telecom Act, FBR Customs to report illegal imports under Imports and Exports Control Act 1950 Section 3 and Customs Act Section 16, Information and Broadcasting and PEMRA to enforce 10% public service time, and Law Ministry to make online abuse non-compoundable.

*The Rule Going Forward:*

International standard is clear. Allowed: Wearing as ordinary eyewear, using for navigation and accessibility with consent and visible indicator. Not allowed: Secret recording in courts, schools, cinemas, changing rooms, gyms, hospitals and publishing without consent.

Pakistan currently has no clear regulation, which is the vacuum the Lahore High Court has now asked the Federal Cabinet to fill.