Google Glass has made many headlines as of late, being the coolest, new gadget in town. However, at the same time, many have cited concerns that Glass can easily be used to violate other’s privacy, especially at public places. Similar concerns have been voiced by members of the Congress now.
The problem with Google Glass is that it is a bit too sophisticated. Imagine that you’re walking down a street while wearing the Glass. You see any person, are able to take a photo without permission and can even search him up in online directories and social networks.
Given such possible uses of Glass, members of the Privacy Caucus in Congress have written a letter to Larry Page. The letter reads, “As members of the Congressional Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, we are curious whether this new technology could infringe on the privacy of the average American.”
Google Glass is still in its early stages of being released and a commercial version will not be available until later this year. For now, an initial unit has been shipped out to developers so that they can test their hands on it, tweak its software and discern new possibilities for it.
Google, too, seems well aware of the privacy issues that are being flagged as inevitably related to the gadget. In an emailed response, a Google spokesperson stated, “We are thinking very carefully about how we design Glass because new technology always raises new issues. Our Glass Explorer program, which reaches people from all walks of life, will ensure that our users become active participants in shaping the future of this technology — and we’re excited to hear the feedback.”
Courtesy: The Hill
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With all the U.S. intelligence agencies being able to invade your privacy any way they please, without warrant or probable cause, nobody in Congress complained!
But if private citizens can video tape police brutality without holding up an obvious video device that can easily be recognized and smashed or confiscated, we must squash that with phony privacy concerns…
BTW, we can already take pictures of anyone we please… publishing those pictures may be another question, but google glass doesn’t make anything possible we couldn’t legally do before. Its only more convenient and simple for the common nerd.