Australia Probes Shenzhen Qingcheng Over $89 Smartglasses Privacy After 55,000-Signature Backlash
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 6
Australia Probes Shenzhen Qingcheng Over $89 Smartglasses Privacy After 55,000-Signature Backlash
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 6
Summary
Australia’s privacy regulator opened a formal investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng, the China-based maker of the HeyCyan app used in Kmart’s $89 Anko smartglasses.
Carly Kind said the probe followed the company’s failure to answer inquiries, along with concerns raised by third-party analysis of the technology and its privacy policy.
Kmart’s discount smartglasses sold out in August after reports they could covertly capture images and HD video, triggering public anger, a 55,000-plus petition and local bans at pools and other venues.
Kind said other companies contacted — including Kmart, BDI Technology, Meta and Google — are not part of this investigation because privacy obligations likely sit with the software provider collecting the data.
The case also exposes gaps in Australia’s Privacy Act, which generally does not cover individual users, as the federal government weighs reforms and restrictions on smartglasses in government workplaces.