27 May

Contemplating Google Glass

Even though Google Glass is not available to the general public, there is already considerable consternation over the device. A number of lawyers have raised concerns about privacy issues and the impact it will have in different legal venues.

In a recent blog post by Mitch Jackson, a California trial lawyer, he plays out a scene where Glass is used to screen potential jurors. In How Trial Lawyers Will Use Google Glass To Select Juries and Win Cases! Jackson muses how Glass will allow the attorney to research potential jurors on the fly, utilizing apps for facial recognition, researching family history and even the individual’s social media history.

Across the pond, Philip Hannay, with Glasgow-based law firm Cloch Solicitors, asserts that Glass will likely be declared illegal in the UK. Hannay endorsed the sentiments of John Lanchester, who wrote in the London Review of Books, that “the recording facility is a breach of ECHR privacy laws.” Google Glass Illegal, IP Lawyer Warns, goes on to lament how difficult it is now to regulate data protection.

Business Insider’s article, Google Glass is Already Creating Paranoia, further fans the flames, quoting comments from lawyers in a New York Times piece: “This is just the beginning,” one Los Angeles lawyer told NYT. “Google Glass is going to cause quite a brawl.” and… “We are all now going to be both the paparazzi and the paparazzi’s target,” said another.

A more nuanced perspective is provided by the good people at Wharton, who look at Glass more from a social point of view. The take from Google Glass: Can ‘Tech Cool’ Become ‘Market Cool’? asks questions like will society embrace the concept or will there be lingering “1984” inhibitions. Kevin Werback, a professor of legal studies and business ethics wonders how many years it will take to not only to reach a level of convenience, but how much longer beyond that for social mores to accept it as normal behavior.

It’s appropriate that we recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first website ever launched. Back then there was no clue of the societal impact; something to keep in mind as new technologies emerge…

 

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