Zurich’s cantonal parliament is weighing whether camera glasses belong at the poolside. A group of members argues that the photography and filming rules already in place at some city pools leave a gap, because a pair of smart glasses is far harder to notice than a raised phone.

The members have turned their demand into a formal question to the cantonal government. Where could a ban be enforced, and would it stretch beyond public pools to commercial spaces that anyone can walk into? They also ask whether the canton should seek limits on sales, and how it would press the federal government for nationwide rules.

Zurich is not alone. Bern has a motion to write a ban into its swimming regulations, and parliamentary motions are pending in Lucerne, Wil, and Basel.

The concern is swimmer safety, especially outdoors, where it is hard to tell whether someone is filming. Women, teenagers, and children are the focus. No Swiss cases of covert filming with smart glasses are known, but German incidents involving swimwear photos posted to social media led cities such as Cologne to bar the glasses from pools.

The Swiss Association of Lifeguards backs the idea. Its president, Michel Kunz, called a nationwide ban the best solution, while conceding that enforcement would be difficult.

Source: SWI swissinfo.ch