The municipality of Oslo has enacted a ban on Meta glasses within its schools to ensure that children do not become “actors in data collection by Meta,” city officials announced on Thursday, as reported by AFP.
This prohibition is in effect throughout the school day and applies to all levels of education, according to a press release from the municipality, as cited by Agerpres.
Julie Remen Midtgarden, the deputy responsible for education, stated, “We, as policymakers, must have the courage to be honest about what is actually happening: one of the wealthiest companies in the world has launched a product whose business model entirely relies on the inability to know when you are being filmed.”
She added, “In Oslo, we do not accept that our own children become actors in data collection by Meta,” highlighting the city’s commitment to protecting student privacy.
Midtgarden, elected from the conservative party, criticized the left-wing government, which is currently only considering a ban on facial recognition for this type of glasses and has announced the establishment of a group of experts tasked with examining ways to protect the public.
“These glasses are being sold in Norway today and are currently used in Norwegian schoolyards, and the problem exists right now. Analyzing the issue does not mean taking action,” she remarked.
Meta glasses allow users to take photos and videos, make phone calls, translate written signs into foreign languages, display text or maps in their field of vision, and even interact with an integrated artificial intelligence assistant.
Reports indicate that Meta has developed a facial recognition feature that is expected to be integrated into its connected glasses.
The ban in Oslo’s schools has been in effect since August 27, although the announcement was delayed until Thursday due to a political truce agreed upon by Norwegian parties following the death of King Harald V on August 28.
