The Wiggle Room, a Toronto dance venue, is drawing a line on wearable tech by banning smart glasses over concerns that tiny built-in cameras could record people without their knowledge.
Here's what to know
According to CBC Toronto, The Wiggle Room in Toronto adopted the policy after its owner raised safety concerns about glasses that may contain cameras people don't notice.
@cbctoronto A Toronto dance venue recently announced a ban on smart glasses. The owner of The Wiggle Room cited safety concerns, telling CBC's Talia Ricci that 'it's kind of sneaky to have a camera no one is aware of.' #CBCNews #CBCToronto #Nightlife #Toronto #SmartGlasses #Dance ♬ original sound - CBC Toronto
In a dance venue, patrons often expect more privacy than they would on a sidewalk or in a store.
A pair of smart glasses may look ordinary at first glance, but recording features can shift privacy expectations in crowded, dimly lit spaces.
Staff may have to make quick judgment calls at the door and on the dance floor, while patrons may have different comfort levels with being photographed or filmed. A clear ban can remove some of that ambiguity and make expectations easier to enforce.
At the same time, critics of blanket bans may argue that smart glasses are not always used for recording and can serve legitimate purposes, including hands-free notifications or accessibility support for some users.
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The issue is how to protect consent and community trust without unfairly excluding people.
According to the report, another venue in the city, Complex19, took it a step further and even banned all photography altogether.
Takin Nateghi, owner of the Wiggle Room, said taking occasional pictures of others with a phone or traditional camera is OK in his venue as long as it's not hidden and no one objects, since that is a more recognizable action of taking a picture or video than simply looking around with glasses during an entire visit.
"If they happen to pull out their phone and snap a photo, why not?" he said. But he noted his club is "known as a safe space in Toronto" and that banning smart glasses "just goes along with that philosophy."
Where can I learn more?
Questions about smart glasses quickly turn into broader debates over privacy, consent, and what people should expect in social spaces. Related coverage includes backlash to Meta's glasses, concerns about facial recognition and covert recording, product complaints, and another nightlife-related safety crackdown.
• Meta drew criticism after Ray-Ban smart glasses could identify strangers in real time.
• Owners of Meta smart glasses are leaving them at home after the glasses were tied to covert videos of women.
• Meta faced fresh scrutiny as workers described concerning privacy issues inside its smart-glasses program.
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