Support is growing for a ban on the import of so-called “smart glasses”, amid an influx of low-cost devices that are being used to film Australians without their consent.
It’s not illegal to take pictures of people in public. I get that it’s creepy, but where does one draw the line?
Most countries have mastered this nearly impossible task of drawing the line quite well.
In many everyday situations, yes - it may be legal to take a photo of someone in public.
Australia doesn’t have one single “photography law” that bans taking photos of people in public. Instead, the legal risk tends to come from a mix of areas, like:
privacy and surveillance laws (which can vary significantly by state/territory, and can apply even when you’re not “hiding” what you’re doing)
consent and image releases (particularly for commercial/promotional use)
workplace surveillance rules (if staff are involved)
australian consumer law risks (for example, misleading or deceptive conduct if an image implies endorsement)
defamation and reputational harm
harassment and related conduct
where the photo was taken (public place vs private property)
It’s the consent for commercial use part that should sink these things (if it’s flowing back to Meta for example) and should be codified formally for this case. Essentially the law is there already and needs to be enforced. With a big stick.
It’s the same shit as Uber taking over a Taxi industry that was regulated for a reason and then enshittifying after they’ve gotten away with it. Crack down hard and fast. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
There will of course be a government exception though, national security, public safety or some shit. Getting it away from Palantir and Meta is still a win.
Most countries have mastered this nearly impossible task of drawing the line quite well.
(source)
It’s very similar in my home countries.
It’s the consent for commercial use part that should sink these things (if it’s flowing back to Meta for example) and should be codified formally for this case. Essentially the law is there already and needs to be enforced. With a big stick.
It’s the same shit as Uber taking over a Taxi industry that was regulated for a reason and then enshittifying after they’ve gotten away with it. Crack down hard and fast. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
There will of course be a government exception though, national security, public safety or some shit. Getting it away from Palantir and Meta is still a win.