Kmart’s $89 Camera Glasses Sell Out in Australia Amid Privacy Backlash

Kmart has sold out of Anko-branded camera glasses priced at $89 across Australia, both in-store and online as of August 4. The black-rimmed glasses capture 8-megapixel photos and 1080p video, running on HeyCyan software with AI features. Privacy experts warn the cheap price removes the last barrier to mass surveillance, as the devices let wearers record everyone around them continuously without consent.

Why the $89 price matters

Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses, which the Anko glasses closely resemble, cost between $337 and $469 in Australia. Meta has sold over 7 million pairs globally. The Anko glasses deliver the same core function, a working camera on your face, at roughly one-fifth the price. Tom Sulston, head of policy at Digital Rights Watch, calls the glasses a privacy nightmare, warning that misogynistic men and social media influencers could use them to harass women and generate content without consent.

What privacy safeguards exist

Both Anko and Meta glasses have LED lights indicating when the camera is recording. Meta rolled out an update last month that disables the camera if the LED is tampered with, and began removing videos of wearers harassing strangers. However, it remains unclear whether Anko glasses have the same anti-tampering feature. Dr Victoria McArthur from Monash University raised unanswered questions: How long are images stored, who can access them, and will they train AI systems?

How Australian law is falling behind

Australia’s Office of the Australian Information Commissioner is monitoring the rollout but currently directs concerned individuals to seek independent legal advice. New York courts, the US Air Force, and a hacker convention have all banned the Meta version on premises. Sulston warns it is not possible to get consent because wearers record everyone around them all the time. Australian privacy laws have not kept pace with devices that enable continuous recording of bystanders.

What happens next for Kmart

Kmart Group, which oversees Target and Kmart, said the Anko glasses are part of an established and increasingly mainstream category of wearable technology with similar products available globally. The company advised wearers to exercise discretion. The sell-out suggests strong local appetite for the product despite privacy concerns. Amazon and Temu also offer comparable smart glasses at similar prices, but the Kmart offering may be the most accessible version released in Australia to date.

Final Thoughts

The Anko glasses sell-out exposes a gap between technology adoption and legal protection in Australia. Regulators must act before cheap wearable cameras become ubiquitous, as current privacy law offers bystanders almost no defence against covert recording in public.

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