[negativity]

This concept is useless because it relies on an honor system. It should be painfully obvious by now, that honor systems cannot be trusted to preserve privacy.

Google Glass is the Crystal Pepsi of the internet. It's only interesting in that it represents a definite violation of ordinary, common, everyday privacy, but stands out as one boundary that certain interested parties are determined to invade.

[XorNot]

...uh no? If the camera is physically not pointed at you, it can't record you. It's clear and concise.

EDIT: My exact thought on this subject has been that the camera needs a mechanical shutter. But I'd say thinking of Glass like sunglasses is probably also the way to go - a way to "take it off" without having to take them off (i.e. like when you put your sunglasses on your heard to talk to someone indoors).

[tritium]

I think the failure of this idea starts with the assumption that it's perfectly reasonable to have a trigger-happy camera constantly at the ready, strapped to your forehead, "just in case" but "trust us because we swear we won't point it at you in your most compromised, yet entertaining moment" only everyone else.

[psbp]

This sounds exactly like the bygone panic over cameras on mobile phones.

[pavement]

But, ma'am, I swear these mirrors on my shoes aren't for looking up ladies skirts. I just have them because I'm in a gang and I need to check underneath my car for car bombs every morning.

[andrewflnr]

It can still record sound, which may be just as significant in the right (or wrong) circumstances.

[lallysingh]

How's that different from someone who's holding a cellphone not taking photos of you?

[threeseed]

Can we actually be serious here ? How many situations have you seen where someone is at a party constantly holding their phone in the air for hours on end. Never. And if someone was I am quite sure they would be treated equally as suspicious.

Google Glass is more akin to someone wearing a GoPro to a party the whole night. Not someone who pulls their phone out of the pocket for a minute or two.

[lallysingh]

You must not go to parties with bored people.

[pigDisgusting]

Equally obnoxious and unnerving.

[Karunamon]

And yet lacking the insane, uninformed backlash that Glass is getting.

[pigDisgusting]

Because cell phones are discrete fashionable accessories that serve as status symbols displaying varying wealth and disposable income, while Google Glass is a lopsided glowing deformity on the side of your head.

[lallysingh]

I donno. Add some options for racing strips, a hello kitty theme, some godawful gold stipple (a Dalek fashion, but popular), or whatever, and suddenly people will love it.

Remember how popular the iMac (~1999) was when they started adding colors and patterns to the outside?

[lotu]

Cellphone cameras had the exact same backlash when they first started showing up.