Students across Victoria will be required to switch off and store smart glasses during the school day, as new restrictions aim to protect privacy and reduce distractions in classrooms.
Smart glasses will be banned for students across Victorian government, Catholic and Independent schools from the start of the 2027 school year, under new rules announced by the Victorian Government.
The restrictions will extend the state’s existing mobile phone ban to include wearable technology, with students required to switch off and store personal electronic devices during school hours and school activities.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns about smart glasses, which can incorporate cameras, microphones and artificial intelligence (AI) while looking similar to ordinary eyewear.
Unlike a mobile phone or handheld camera, these devices can potentially record people without making it obvious that filming is taking place, raising questions about privacy and consent in school communities.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gabrielle Williams said the rules were intended to support students’ learning and wellbeing.
“We’re setting clear rules across every Victorian school, making sure students can focus on learning, and families can feel confident their children are in a respectful and safe school environment,” she said.
From the start of the 2027 school year, students at all Victorian schools will need to have personal electronic devices, including smart glasses, switched off and stored during school hours and school activities.
The restrictions form part of a broader expansion of Victoria’s mobile phone policy, which will extend to students in non-government schools from Term 1, 2027.
For families, the new rules mean students will not be able to wear smart glasses during the school day under the standard arrangements. Exemptions will be available where the glasses are required as a reasonable adjustment for a person with disability and no other suitable adjustment can be provided.
The Government says it will work with schools to provide consistent rules across the state.
The policy will also affect parents, teachers and volunteers at government schools.
Adults will be prohibited from wearing smart glasses and other covert filming devices on government school grounds and during school-organised activities held off site, including camps and excursions. The restrictions will apply at all times, rather than only during school hours, and will also cover students at government schools.
The Government has indicated that extending the adult restrictions to Catholic and independent schools will require further legislation. A re-elected Carroll Labor Government has committed to introducing that change.
The proposed restrictions come as councils and community facilities across Victoria consider limits on smart glasses amid concerns about covert recording and privacy.
Victoria introduced its government-school mobile phone ban in 2020. An independent evaluation found the policy helped students concentrate in class and socialise more during breaks, while schools reported fewer incidents involving mobile phones.
The expanded restrictions will bring smart glasses into the same broader effort to limit the distractions and risks associated with personal electronic devices in schools.
Further details about implementation will be worked through with schools ahead of the 2027 school year.