Google Glass Has Already Been Banned In UK Movie Theaters Two Weeks After Arriving In The Country
"Customers will be requested not to wear these into cinema auditoriums, whether the film is playing or not," Phil Clapp, chief executive of the Cinema Exhibitors' Association, told The Independent.
Among the theaters that will ban Glass are The Vue cinema chain, which will ask guests to take off Glass when the lights dim, and Leicester Square cinema, which has already previously asked a Glass Explorer to remove his headset.
The thing about Google Glass that worries these movie theaters is the capability to record movies and make pirated copies. And even though the headset lights up when it's recording, theaters are worried that it won't be monitored, so they are inclined to ban Glass use entirely.
Google Glass's battery only lasts about 45 minutes while recording video, so the likelihood of someone filming an entire movie is pretty slim. But theaters are still worried that guests could team up to record parts of the movie and combine them after the fact.
These worries are pretty common responses to Google Glass; a number of theaters, bars, and restaurants in the U.S. already having banned the headset for similar reasons. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and The 5 Point Cafe in Seattle are just two locations that have publicly banned Google Glass.
In response, Google has asked cinemas and restaurants to try Google Glass themselves before instituting any policies.
"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," a Google spokesperson told The Independent.
We have reached out to Google for further comment.