Recording Glasses Are a Threat to Sex Workers’ Privacy and Safety
- Chanel Avory Secrets
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
In an age where technology is constantly evolving, some innovations blur the line between convenience and breaking the law. The worrying rise of recording glasses — eyewear with built-in cameras, like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses or similar models produced by brands such as Snap Inc. (Spectacles) or other hidden camera manufacturers. While these products are often marketed as “cool” or “discreet” tools for capturing moments hands-free, their presence in strip clubs, brothels, and other adult entertainment venues is deeply troubling.
For sex workers, these devices are not a harmless novelty, they’re a direct threat to privacy, safety, and consent.
What Are Recording Glasses?
Recording glasses are wearable devices that allow users to film or photograph their surroundings with little to no indication that they’re doing so. Some have subtle buttons, others respond to voice commands, and most are designed to look like regular sunglasses or eyeglasses.
Ray-Ban Meta, for instance, features a front-facing camera hidden in the frame, capable of recording video, taking photos, and live-streaming.
In environments where privacy is not just important, but vital, these devices are incredibly dangerous.
The Risk for Sex Workers
Sex work is criminalised or stigmatised in many parts of the world, including various regions in Australia. Even where sex work is legal, sex workers still face immense discrimination — in housing, custody battles, healthcare, employment, and safety.
Recording a sex worker without consent, especially in a club or during a private booking, is not only illegal and a gross violation of boundaries — it’s potentially life-ruining.
Here’s why:
Unconsented filming can "out" workers, putting them at risk of harassment, violence, or losing custody of children.
It may result in revenge porn or doxxing, especially if the footage is posted online without permission.
Clubs, brothels, and event spaces may lose licenses or reputations if illicit recordings surface.
Clients often record intimate, vulnerable moments — moments that sex workers are paid to offer safely and confidentially — and exploit them for personal use or public exposure.
The presence of these glasses compromises the very foundation of safety and consent ..
Privacy Laws Are Not Enough
While some jurisdictions have privacy laws against recording someone without their knowledge — particularly in private settings — enforcement is inconsistent and often fails to protect sex workers.
Many laws only cover “expectation of privacy” in narrow contexts (like bathrooms or changing rooms).
Sex workers may fear going to the police, knowing that their profession could be used against them.
Even when laws exist, proving the presence and use of recording glasses is difficult, especially when the tech is designed to be discreet and unobtrusive.
By the time someone realises they’ve been filmed, the damage is often already done.
Strip Clubs and Venues Must Act
Clubs and adult entertainment venues must take a strong stance against the presence of recording glasses and hidden cameras. Here’s what should happen:
Ban recording glasses entirely: patrons should not be allowed to wear any type of smart glasses or similar devices on the premises.
Train security to recognise and confiscate these devices, or require patrons to store them during their stay.
Educate staff and workers so they know what to look for and how to spot these devices.
Add signage at entrances stating that filming or photography of any kind is strictly prohibited and will lead to immediate removal and legal consequences.
Protecting workers should always be a priority.
What Can Allies Do?
If you’re not a sex worker but care about safety, consent, and human rights, here’s how you can help:
Don’t buy or normalise recording glasses for harmful. use
If you see someone wearing smart glasses in a strip club or adult venue, say something to the managers or security staff.
Support sex workers’ rights to privacy, consent, and bodily autonomy, both online and offline.
Speak out against the idea that recording someone without their knowledge is harmless or fun because it’s not. It’s a violation.
In the end...
Recording glasses are not just a tech trend. In the context of sex work, they are a threat — a tool that can be used to violate consent, privacy, and safety. Consent isn’t optional. Neither is privacy.
