Budget camera glasses made by a Chinese technology company have been found containing videos that appear to have been accidentally recorded inside the factory where the devices were manufactured. The footage was discovered by ABC News program 7.30 after journalists purchased a pair of Oho Sunshine camera glasses online.
The glasses contained four short videos dated last year showing several factory workers sitting at desks and inspecting the devices. In one of the recordings, a worker can clearly be seen picking up a pair of the glasses and shaking them vigorously while electronic music plays in the background. The footage appears to have been recorded during the manufacturing or testing process.
Three additional recordings, lasting up to 10 minutes and dated this year, contained almost entirely black screens accompanied by atmospheric sounds. The recordings suggest that the glasses may have been activated while inside a case, package or box before they were eventually shipped to a customer.
The discovery has raised concerns about the privacy of workers who may not have known they were being recorded. The side-mounted shooting button on the glasses is reportedly sensitive and can be activated relatively easily, potentially allowing the device to begin recording without the wearer immediately noticing.
ABC News approached Oho Sunshine for an explanation about how the factory footage ended up on a new pair of glasses and whether the workers had consented to being filmed. The company did not respond to questions about the apparent privacy breach.
Oho Sunshine was founded in 2009 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and describes itself as a manufacturer of smart wearable technology. The company is one of many manufacturers producing camera glasses as demand for wearable technology continues to grow.
Camera glasses have become increasingly popular because they look similar to ordinary spectacles while allowing users to record video and audio. Some models include indicator lights to show when recording is taking place, although concerns have been raised that these indicators can be difficult to notice or can be disabled on some devices.
More advanced smart glasses can also allow users to listen to music, make phone calls, view messages and, in some cases, livestream content. Prices vary widely, with high-end products such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses costing hundreds of dollars, while cheaper camera glasses can be purchased online for less than $50.
The growing popularity of the devices has also sparked concerns about people being recorded without their knowledge or consent. In Australia, Kmart’s $89 Anko camera glasses reportedly sold out, while an online petition called for their sale to be stopped over privacy concerns.
The issue has received further attention after incidents in which people have allegedly been filmed without their knowledge and the footage uploaded to social media. One such case involved Beth Knight, who was 17 when she was filmed at London’s Waterloo station by a man wearing camera glasses. The footage was reportedly accompanied by inappropriate commentary before being shared online.
While laws in many places allow some forms of filming in public spaces, the increasing use of discreet recording devices is creating new questions about consent, privacy and responsible use of technology. The factory footage found on the Oho Sunshine glasses offers an unusual glimpse into the production of these devices while also highlighting the possibility that even the people who manufacture camera glasses can become unintended subjects of recordings.
