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England and Wales Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Covert Recording Fears

HMCTS says Meta's camera-equipped eyewear will be confiscated at the door, joining New York courts and other UK venues in restricting the wearable.

By THRYV Tech Desk·Published August 12, 2026·Updated August 12, 2026·4 min read
England and Wales Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Covert Recording Fears
Tech · Illustration commissioned for THRYV. Photography is replaced with original imagery as each story is produced.

The takeaway

England and Wales's courts service, HMCTS, is banning Meta smart glasses from its buildings, confiscating them at security and returning them on exit, citing risks of covert recording during proceedings. The move follows a case in which a UK judge ordered a pair removed over suspected witness coaching. Meta has not directly addressed the court ban.

His Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service, which runs criminal, civil, and family courts across England and Wales, is banning Meta's camera-equipped smart glasses from its buildings, confiscating them from visitors at security and returning them on the way out.

Why courts are cracking down

Under UK law, taking unauthorized photographs or video inside a court building is contempt of court. HMCTS's policy notice states that "no such exemption will be granted for smart glasses," citing concern that the devices can record discreetly. The ban follows an incident in which a UK High Court judge ordered a pair of smart glasses removed from a courtroom over suspicion they were being used to feed information to a witness.

How the ban works

Ordinary smartphones remain allowed inside court buildings as long as they aren't used to record proceedings. Meta's eyewear is singled out because, unlike a phone held up to film, glasses can capture video without an obvious gesture. The restriction mirrors rules already in place at New York's court system and at a growing number of UK restaurants and theaters.

Meta's response

Meta has not directly addressed the court ban. The company has previously pointed to a visible pulsing LED light that activates when its glasses are recording, along with tamper-detection technology intended to flag attempts to obscure or disable that indicator.

Not the first restriction

England and Wales's courts join New York's Unified Court System and a number of private venues in the UK — including some restaurants and theaters — in restricting camera-equipped smart glasses over recording concerns.

Brands mentioned

Sources

This article is original writing by THRYV. We link to primary reporting and official documents rather than reproducing them.

  1. Meta Smart Glasses Banned in Courts Over 'Spyware' Fears — Phandroid
  2. Top Tech News Today, August 11, 2026 — Tech Startups

Why you can trust this article

Written and edited in-house by the THRYV Tech Desk. We do not republish or reword agency copy, and we do not invent quotes, statistics, testimonials or ratings. Where figures move frequently, we point you to the primary release rather than printing a number that will be out of date. Advertising and affiliate partnerships have no influence on our reporting — see our editorial standards, fact-checking policy and affiliate disclosure. Spotted an error? Write to newsroom@thryv-news.com.

General information only. Not personalised financial, medical or legal advice.

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