California’s Smart Glasses Law Misses the Bigger Picture

James Madison Institute · Sep 23, 2026

Wearable technology, such as smart glasses, has become the new frontier in American consumer tech. Meta’s AI glasses, for example, sold over 7 million units in 2025. With their impressive suite of AI-enabled features, including facial recognition waiting in the wings, these frontier products have naturally generated a new set of policy questions that lawmakers in state capitols across the country must face in an era when Americans are uniquely concerned about their digital footprint and protecting their privacy. Tech giants have also recognized the stakes in this trend among American…