California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made it a misdemeanor to use smart glasses or other wearables to secretly record people in private areas of businesses, such as changing rooms or doctors' offices. The legislation, SB-1130, also would have required manufacturers to include a visible recording indicator and banned devices designed to mask such indicators.
In a letter to the State Senate, Newsom said the bill's language was too broad, noting that its definition of a "wearable recording device" could include smartwatches and other common devices, leading to confusion and unintended consequences. He pointed out that California already prohibits recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and the state's two-party consent law requires all parties to agree to a conversation being recorded.
The veto drew support from TechNet, an advocacy group for major tech companies that opposed the bill. Had it passed, violators could have faced fines up to $1,500 and prison time, while manufacturers could have been fined $2,500 per violation for non-compliant devices. Proponents argued that more specific legal language would have deterred misuse of smart glasses, which are sometimes referred to as "pervert glasses."