No, Britain isn’t introducing restrictions on businesses who want to use Glass

There are some reports doing the rounds today giving the impression that the UK is introducing legal restrictions on the use of Google Glass by businesses. These are based on a blog post on the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). An example being cited is the use of Glass by British airline Virgin Atlantic to help staff recognize customers.

The thing is, there is nothing new here. All the post says is that businesses who want to collect personal data using Glass will have to be registered under the Data Protection Act to do so. It is already a legal requirement for any business which collects personal data about individuals to register, and it makes no difference whether the device used to capture that data is Glass, a computer, a tablet or a clipboard and pen.

As with standard CCTV cameras, individuals are free to request a copy of any video in which they appear. Businesses are free to charge up to £10 ($17) for this, and the footage must be released within 40 days.