More Google Glass Privacy Questions, Still ‘Very Early Days’ Says Google

It turns out that Americans aren't the only ones nervous about the privacy implications raised by Google's new experimental wearable smartphone technology, Google Glass. A letter from ten government privacy officials, representing seven governments around the world, has been sent to Google expressing their concerns about the new device.

The letter was addressed to Larry Page, Google CEO and co-founder of the "Don't be Evil" internet and electronics company, from ten commissioners on privacy and data protection according to the New York Times' Bits Blog. The officials represented seven countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

"We are writing to you as data protection authorities to raise questions from a privacy perspective about the development of Google Glass," said the multi-party message to Page. "As you have undoubtedly noticed, Google Glass has been the subject of many articles that have raised concerns about the obvious, and perhaps less obvious, privacy implications of a device that can be worn by an individual and used to film and record audio of other people.  Fears of ubiquitous surveillance of individuals by other individuals, whether through such recordings or through other applications currently being developed, have been raised."

Google Glass is a wearable computer technology that a user wears on his or her face like eyeglasses, which only works as an interface for a smartphone. Users interact through voice commands, gestures, and a heads up display placed in front of the user's eye to operate the device. The Mountain View company is hoping to make features such as navigation, internet search, messaging, phone calls - as well as photography - a hands-free, always-on, and ubiquitous part of the user's life. Glass also represents the possibility of new capabilities not seen in other "smart" devices, such as instant facial recognition linked to contacts and ever-present point-of-view video photography.

Several concerns over the new devices have been raised by the media, including Latinospost.com, over various apps that might make their way on to the devices, including pornography apps.

Other privacy concerns included questions about the implications of widespread photography and videography, and how data collected from Glass may be stored and used by users, or Google - though number of these concerns, like worries over pervasive photography and data collection already apply equally to smartphones in general. A number of establishment have also banned the device, though it should also be noted that businesses banning the brand new and rarely-seen devices, as the 5 Point bar in Seattle was the first to do, may be doing more to generate buzz than making a statement about privacy.

In May, Eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives also sent a letter to Larry Page asking similar questions, especially about how possible facial recognition apps may be used. Since the Congressional letter and media criticism, Google has responded by updating its developers' policy, barring the development of facial recognition apps and apps with sexually explicit material, preempting the first Google Glass porn app on its first day of existence.

The most recent letter from seven countries' privacy officials reiterated many previous questions and concerns, including those over facial recognition, as well as asking about Google's legal compliance with privacy laws and the company's future plans about assessing privacy risks for consumers and governments. Questions raised included the following:

A Google spokeperson responded to Latinos Post's inquiry about the most recent letter to Larry Page, saying, "It's very early days and we are thinking very carefully about how we design Glass because new technology always raises new issues. Our Glass Explorer program, which reaches people from all walks of life, will ensure that our users become active participants in shaping the future of this technology -- and we're excited to hear the feedback."