Courts in England and Wales have officially banned Meta glasses, with His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) instructing that any attempt to enter judicial buildings with the smart glasses will result in confiscation until the owner leaves. The measure, confirmed exclusively to the Guardian, aligns with a growing number of restaurants, theatres, and pubs that have already prohibited the device over privacy fears.
Ban follows New York and UK venues
The move comes after New York’s court system implemented a similar prohibition last month. HMCTS, which oversees all criminal, civil, and family courts in England and Wales, stated: “There are clear restrictions on taking images or videos within courts and tribunals which is why the use of Meta glasses is prohibited.” A source added: “Users who bring Meta glasses into courts or tribunals will have them confiscated on entry and they will be returned when the owner leaves the building.”
While smartphones are permitted for lawyers and the public, they must not be used to record court procedures. The HMCTS clarified that no such exception applies to smart glasses. Taking images or videos without official permission is already illegal in UK courts and can be prosecuted as contempt of court.
Incident sparks concern
Earlier this year, a claimant in the High Court was accused by a judge of wearing smart glasses and receiving “coaching” through them during evidence. Laimonas Jakštys was ordered to remove the glasses during a case concerning a property company’s directorship. Judge Raquel Agnello KC stated that Jakštys had been “assisted or coached in his replies to questions put to him during cross examination.” Jakštys denied using the glasses to receive answers and denied they were connected to his phone.
HMCTS does not hold figures on incidents of smart glasses being used in courts. In February, security guards for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg were seen wearing Meta glasses during a high-profile trial in California on social media addiction. Judge Carolyn B Kuhl threatened them with contempt if they had recorded proceedings.
Privacy fears and market impact
New York’s court system explained its ban aims to ensure “individuals cannot surreptitiously record court proceedings.” It added: “No individual possessing smart glasses will be permitted to enter a UCS [unified court system] facility unless they voucher the smart glasses for safekeeping by uniformed personnel while the individual remains in the facility.”
Last year Meta sold 7 million pairs of the glasses, priced between £269 and £469. Concerns about filming without consent, particularly of women, have led to the label “pervert glasses.” UK venues including Wetherspoons have banned them. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the court ban but noted that a pulsing light is visible when recording, and tamper detection technology prevents covering it.
The ban takes immediate effect across all HMCTS buildings, reinforcing existing restrictions and addressing growing public concern over covert recording.
