Key Takeaways
- Punjab government issues immediate ban on camera-enabled smart glasses and disguised cameras.
- Banned devices include miniature cameras disguised as everyday objects like pens and keychains.
- Order aims to protect public order, privacy, especially of women and children.
The Punjab government has issued an immediate ban on the use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses and miniature cameras disguised as everyday objects within the province. The order, issued by the secretary of the Punjab Home Department, comes into effect immediately and is backed by powers under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
The ban specifically targets 'camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability' and 'miniature cameras with recording ability disguised as everyday objects such as pens, keychains, etc.,' while exempting laptops, handheld tablets, mobile phones, and terminal equipment approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Retailers, wholesale dealers, traders, and distributors are also prohibited from selling or offering these devices for sale, both online and in physical stores.
The order cites concerns over the unrestricted use of these devices, which can capture, process, and transmit data in the form of speech, images, videos, and sound. It highlights the potential risks to public order, individual privacy, particularly the 'integrity and dignity' of women and children, security of sensitive data and installations, and institutional integrity.
Specific areas of risk include airports, examination centres, secure government establishments, healthcare facilities, shopping malls, court premises, and public places. The order states that these activities create an 'imminent apprehension of secret recording, breach of privacy, and security, or unauthorised transmission of protected information.'
The Punjab government emphasizes the need for 'immediate preventive action' to ensure public safety, the integrity and dignity of persons, particularly women and children, and the maintenance of order within the province. The ban will remain in force for 30 days, unless withdrawn earlier.
The order also notes that 'authorised law enforcement personnel' are exempt from the restriction on using the specified hidden recording devices.
Amid growing concerns about the misuse of such devices, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has been seized with a public interest petition challenging the unregulated import and sale of camera and mic-equipped smart glasses. The petition cites threats to people's privacy, dignity, and national security, with Meta, in particular, facing criticism for its AI-powered smart glasses.
The Lahore High Court has directed the federal government to forward a summary to the federal cabinet regarding the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses. The court's directive underscores the broader implications of this ban on technology and privacy in Pakistan.
