ALBANY – Starting July 20th, New York will become the first state to implement a blanket ban on smart glasses and any wearable tech with recording capabilities across all 1240 courthouses. Whether you’re a visitor, attorney, or court staff, you won’t be able to wear these devices inside. If you show up wearing them, even if they are your only pair of prescription glasses, you’ll be required to surrender them to security officers at the entrance until you leave.
Former Sullivan County judge and attorney Mike McGuire said the ban is necessary.
“When you put recording devices or cameras in the hands of people who have the ability to manipulate that data and put out a very different impression, it places the court in a bad light, but it also places the litigants in a bad light.”
He says that with AI and/or digital manipulation, a false narrative can be created.
“Things that people are putting out there are really unfair’ he said. “And we are trying to keep the court, the courtroom, as pure as possible”
