Smart glasses: Newsom has vetoed SB 1130, which would have criminalised recording people without their knowledge

The legislation required a recording indicator that could not be concealed and imposed penalties for covert recording in private premises. The governor considers it too vague.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has sent Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes' bill SB 1130 back to the Senate, without signing it. The bill would have made audio or video recording of a person without their consent, using a wearable device and in a place where they can legitimately expect privacy, an offense punishable by jail time or a fine of up to $1,500.

A mandatory warning light for manufacturers

SB 1130 also required manufacturers of smart glasses and other wearables to incorporate a visible signal during recording, and banned any technology designed to conceal it. Sellers of non-compliant devices faced fines of up to $2,500. California would have become the first U.S. state to specifically regulate these glasses, while Meta sold more than 7 million last year.

In his veto message, Newsom believes that several terms are defined too broadly: the notion of "portable recording device" could encompass widely used connected watches, at the risk of sowing confusion. He also points out that California law already punishes the recording of a person in a space where he or she can expect a form of privacy.