UK Google Glass users to be asked to remove device in cinemas
by Chris Dodd | 02 Jul 2014
The prototype of Google Glass was released in the UK last week / Shutterstock.com/Hattanas Kumchai
Cinema goers using Google Glass will be asked to remove the wearable device when entering UK cinema screens, according to the Cinema Exhibitors' Association, with potential piracy issues being flagged by those in the entertainment industry.
According to The Independent, it is also believed that cinema operator Vue will be asking users of the device to remove the eyewear when the lights in the cinema dim.
During the production of the glass, which became available in the UK for £1,000 as a prototype last week, Google had taken into account varying elements of privacy issues and the potential pitfalls of piracy.
To prevent the stealing of media from cinemas, the Glass features a lit screen when recording, rendering it visible in the dark, while the device is also set to a recording time of just 10 seconds. However, users are able to adjust this recording time if they want to.
Another barrier that potentially hampers the illegal piracy of films is the fact that the Glass will run out of battery after 45 minutes of straight recording, meaning that it would be unable to capture the entirety of most films in one sitting.
As well as cinemas, other entertainment outlets are weighing up how to treat the inception of the device, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, which operates six theatres in London.
Following its release, Google has released advice about the Glass, which warns against the creation of policies which impact on the device, without operators, organisations and businesses having first-hand experience with it.
“We recommend any cinemas concerned about Glass to treat the device as they treat similar devices like mobile phones: simply ask wearers to turn it off before the film starts. Broadly speaking, we also think it’s best to have direct and first-hand experience with Glass before creating policies around it,” said a Google spokesperson.
“The fact that Glass is worn above the eyes and the screen lights up whenever it’s activated makes it a fairly lousy device for recording things secretly.”
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Cinema goers using Google Glass will be asked to remove the wearable device when entering UK cinema screens, according to the Cinema Exhibitors' Association, with potential piracy issues being flagged by those in the entertainment industry. According to The Independent, it is also believed that cinema operator Vue will be asking users of the device to remove the eyewear when the lights in the cinema dim. During the production of
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