New York State Courts Implement Statewide Ban on Smart Glasses with Recording Capabilities
Effective July 20, 2026, New York State courts will enforce a statewide ban on smart glasses equipped with cameras, microphones, or onboard processors. This directive, issued via a July 1, 2026, Memorandum by the New York State Office of Court Administration, makes New York the first state to implement such a comprehensive, systemwide restriction across all levels of its court system. The ban applies to all individuals entering a courthouse, including lawyers, litigants, witnesses, court staff, and general visitors, and even extends to smart glasses fitted with prescription lenses. The primary rationale behind this new rule is to prevent covert recording within court proceedings, thereby safeguarding New York’s civil rights protections. This policy was prompted, in part, by an incident earlier in the year where security personnel accompanying Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wore smart glasses during a trial in California, leading the presiding judge to issue a warning against recording. New York's app...
