Dutch clubs join the ban on smart glasses over privacy fears

Consent is quietly becoming part of the door policy.

Around 30 cultural organisations in Groningen — among them the Groninger Museum, the Grand Theatre and the photography centre Noorderlicht — announced on Friday that smart glasses are no longer welcome in their buildings or at their events. The devices, most prominently the camera-equipped Ray-Ban Meta range, look like ordinary spectacles but let wearers film and photograph people without anyone noticing.

In a joint statement, the venues said the technology compromises the privacy and safety of visitors, staff and artists, and undermines trust in an open, respectful environment. It is the latest step in a widening national push: eyewear chain Hans Anders said last week it would stop selling Meta's camera glasses after privacy campaigners dubbed them 'pervert glasses'; the Dutch data protection authority, the AP, has warned that sharing images captured this way breaches GDPR rules unless everyone in frame consents; and the Consumentenbond noted the recording indicator light can be covered or manipulated.

Groningen is not acting alone. Utrecht music venue Tivoli Vredenburg banned smart glasses back in 2025 and has since refused entry to a visitor who would not take his off. MPs have called for a full national ban, while the cabinet favours narrower restrictions over a blanket measure. The Groningen ban is voluntary and venue by venue, so expect more rooms to set their own rules first.

For anyone heading out, the lesson is simple: look after each other, and ask before you film. Vibra is built around exactly that kind of night — a community and loyalty app for LGBTQ+ nightlife in Amsterdam, where events are published, tickets are sold and Pulse points reward showing up. Check the feed before you go, and know the room has your back.

Source: DutchNews.nl — Museums, festivals and clubs in Groningen ban smart glasses (9 October 2026).