New York bans smart glasses in courts

Starting July 20, 2026, the United States — Judiciary of New York will ban smart glasses and any eyewear or headwear containing cameras, microphones, or recording technology from all 1,240 state, county, city, town, and village courts. The ban, announced via a memo from Executive Director Sam Barry, aims to prevent surreptitious recording of court proceedings in violation of New York's Civil Rights Law. It applies to everyone entering court facilities, including lawyers, employees, and visitors, and covers prescription smart glasses. Devices must be surrendered to court officers at entry. New York is the first U.S. state to impose a blanket statewide prohibition, following similar local restrictions in United States — Pennsylvania, United States — Hawaii, and United States — Wisconsin. The ban comes amid growing privacy concerns over smart glasses, particularly Meta Ray-Bans, which have been used to record people without consent. In February 2026, a United States — California judge admonished Meta's lawyers for wearing smart glasses during a trial involving CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, have urged Meta to halt facial recognition features on its glasses. The ban may influence other jurisdictions and create compliance challenges for organizations whose employees frequent courthouses.