California Governor Newsom vetoes restrictions on secret recordings — TechCrunch

In the United States, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1130, which would have banned secretly recording people in public places using wearable devices with cameras and microphones. The document could have made California the first U.S. state to separately regulate the use of smart glasses, TechCrunch reports.

Reasons for the veto

In a letter to lawmakers, Newsom explained that the definition of wearable recording devices in the bill was too broad or imprecise. In his view, this could have caused confusion and unintended consequences. The governor also noted that some of the proposed safeguards already exist in California law.

The bill provided for liability for people who secretly recorded others without their explicit consent. Violators could have faced fines or imprisonment, while manufacturers of wearable devices that failed to comply with the requirements could have faced fines.

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Spread of devices with cameras

The initiative was developed amid the emergence of an increasing number of wearable gadgets with cameras and microphones, including Meta and Snap glasses, as well as artificial intelligence-based devices in the form of pendants. According to the publication, Meta sold more than 7 million wearable glasses last year.

The bill's author, California State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, told ABC News that the document was intended to help the state respond to the rapid spread of technologies with constant listening. TechCrunch also noted that Norway is considering banning such technology.