Key Takeaways
- Full ban: New York State is banning smart glasses and wearable devices equipped with cameras or microphones from all 1,240 state courts, effective July 20, 2026.
- The trigger: In February, Mark Zuckerberg's lawyers were photographed wearing Ray-Ban Meta glasses during a trial in California.
- Meta's response: Meta rolled out a software update on July 7 that disables the camera if the LED indicator is covered, but New York deemed the fix inadequate.
The first statewide ban in the US
New York State is barring smart glasses and wearable devices equipped with a camera or microphone from every state courthouse. The measure, finalized by the Office of Court Administration on June 25, takes effect on July 20, 2026, and applies to all 1,240 courthouses across the state. It marks the first ban of its kind adopted at the state level in the United States.
The technical problem behind the decision
The ban targets unauthorized recordings of court proceedings, already prohibited under state law. Smart glasses, however, make enforcement nearly impossible: unlike a smartphone, which has to be raised to be used, they let wearers capture video and audio with a simple tap on the frame, with no visible gesture.
The rule applies to anyone entering a courthouse: members of the public, witnesses, jurors, attorneys, prosecutors, and court staff. There are no exceptions for prescription smart glasses; anyone wearing them will need to bring a regular pair of glasses to enter the building. Devices must be handed over to court officers at the entrance, who issue a receipt for pickup upon exit. Checks take place at security checkpoints, where staff have been trained to identify these devices.
The incident that pushed the measure forward
In February, during a trial in California over social media addiction, Mark Zuckerberg's attorneys were photographed wearing their Ray-Ban Meta glasses while escorting the CEO into the courthouse. The incident raised concerns that jurors could be identified and intimidated, speeding up the timeline for New York's rule.
Meta's response
On July 7, Meta pushed out a mandatory software update that automatically disables the camera if the recording LED is covered, damaged, or removed. The company also launched a crackdown on its Marketplace, removing sellers who offered modifications to disable the LED.
New York officials deemed the countermeasures insufficient: the indicator LED remains too small to be noticed in a crowded setting like a courtroom.
Criticism of the measure
An article in Forbes called the ban a "dangerous precedent," pointing out that smartphones, which can record just as easily, face no similar restrictions. Critics argue the measure is disproportionate and unfairly penalizes people with hearing disabilities or non-native English speakers who rely on the glasses for real-time translation or captioning.
What's next
New York is the first state to impose a total ban of this kind, following restrictions already adopted by individual courts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. The decision sets a new standard that could influence other states and public institutions as wearable device adoption grows, opening a direct clash between technological development and privacy protection in judicial settings.
