Kmart's Smart Glasses have sold out. Their popularity pushed a national privacy probe
SBS News
β’Sat, 8 Aug 2026 06:12:57 +0000
π° What Happened
Kmart's Anko smart glasses, an $89 alternative to Meta's AI glasses, sold out within a week of their 28 July release. The glasses can discreetly record high-definition video and photos, transfer files to a phone, and use an AI assistant. Their mass-market popularity prompted the Attorney-General to ask Australia's Privacy Commissioner to investigate privacy and safety impacts of such wearable surveillance tech.
π The Backstory
Cheap β at least $200 less than premium Meta versions β recording-capable glasses bring discreet surveillance to everyday consumers for the first time. This raises questions about how existing privacy protections apply when anyone can secretly film people in public or private settings.
π― Why It Matters
The glasses make covert recording easy and affordable for ordinary shoppers, which could erode privacy in daily life. The national privacy probe will decide what rules should govern a technology millions of Australians could soon be wearing.
Kmart's Anko smart glasses, an $89 alternative to Meta's AI glasses, sold out within a week of their 28 July release. The glasses can discreetly record high-definition video and photos, transfer files to a phone, and use an AI assistant. Their mass-market popularity prompted the Attorney-General to ask Australia's Privacy Commissioner to investigate privacy and safety impacts of such wearable surveillance tech.
Cheap β at least $200 less than premium Meta versions β recording-capable glasses bring discreet surveillance to everyday consumers for the first time. This raises questions about how existing privacy protections apply when anyone can secretly film people in public or private settings.
The glasses make covert recording easy and affordable for ordinary shoppers, which could erode privacy in daily life. The national privacy probe will decide what rules should govern a technology millions of Australians could soon be wearing.