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The invisible problem: Smart glasses, child safety and the new ban in early childhood education
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The invisible problem: Smart glasses, child safety and the new ban in early childhood education

Nicole Thompson and Lauren Carn
EduResearch Matters
Australian Association for Research in Education
27/01/2026
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Education Publications
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Abstract

AARE blog Early childhood education Safety Smart glasses
Australia’s move to restrict concealed recording devices in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings signals an important shift in national child safety priorities. Yet even as these reforms strengthen expectations around increasing children’s safety through visibility and monitoring, educators may find themselves in an increasingly uncomfortable position. Are they now responsible for identifying devices that, by design, do not want to be identified? This is particularly the case for emerging technologies such as smart glasses that look identical to ordinary eyewear but can discreetly record video, audio and images. The result is a widening gap between policy intentions and the realities of practice, especially as smart glasses become more discreet, more affordable and more difficult to detect. There is no evidence of smart glasses currently being used in ECEC settings. But it is precisely because of this emerging landscape services need to be proactive not reactive, preparing for the possibility before the first incident occurs.

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