Smart glasses will be banned at all Western Australian public schools from the first day of Term 4, under a new Department of Education instruction covering students, staff, families, visitors and contractors.
Education Minister Sabine Winton said the ban was a preventative measure in response to growing concerns about the use of devices capable of recording images and audio without others being aware.
“Keeping students and staff safe at school is a priority,” Ms Winton said. “This ban is about taking a common sense, preventative approach.”
“We know that smart glasses are becoming more accessible and can have a detrimental impact on people’s privacy and wellbeing.”
Ms Winton said the technology raised particular concerns in school environments, where students and teachers may be recorded without their knowledge.
“Students should be able to focus on learning, and teachers should be able to do their jobs without worrying they are being secretly recorded,” she said.
Department of Education Director General Jay Peckitt said misuse of smart glasses could have serious consequences for school communities.
“The misuse of smart glasses can have dangerous and long-lasting implications for school staff and students,” Mr Peckitt said.
The Director General has issued a CEO Instruction requiring public school principals to prohibit the wearing, use and storage of smart glasses on school sites.
The ban will apply during school activities on school grounds and when students and staff are representing their school offsite. It extends to students, staff, parents, carers, visitors and contractors.
Principals will be able to approve exemptions for students with special circumstances, including medical conditions.
The Department has developed communication resources for schools to use when informing students, families and staff about the change. Schools will implement the ban through existing policies and procedures.
The new instruction follows existing restrictions on personal devices in WA public schools. Under the State’s “off and away all day” policy, student mobile phones have been prohibited during the school day since 2020, while smartwatches must be set to airplane mode.
The Department said the smart glasses ban responds to the increasing availability of devices that can capture images and audio in ways that may not be apparent to people being recorded.