Viral Video of Woman Secretly Recorded with Smart Glasses, Minister Meutya Hafid Responds

Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid has stated that recording a person without permission is a violation of the Personal Data Protection Law. This was conveyed in response to a viral case in which a man recorded a female usher at the GIIAS 2026 automotive exhibition using smart glasses without her consent, and turned it into content with the narrative ‘how to approach a girl.’ On the principle, we need to remind everyone that this is a violation of the PDP Law, Meutya told the media at the Komdigi office on Monday. She emphasised that unauthorised recording cannot be justified, even when conducted in a public space. She further stressed that such actions constitute an ethical violation. So, no one is allowed to record without permission, even in public spaces. This case is more or less the same as the discomfort expressed by people who are recorded without permission while exercising on the streets. So we will treat this as the same thing, she asserted. According to Meutya, the government has also heard that the case has been reported to the police. Law enforcement will be handled by the authorities, while Komdigi will continue to remind the public about such violations. And of course, we have also heard that it has been reported to the police. So once again, law enforcement is the domain of the police. Our role is to remind everyone that this is a violation of the PDP, and also a violation of ethics, and this is in the context of protecting, not only women, but especially women and children, she said. She emphasised that the practice of recording without permission, particularly targeting women and children, must be stopped. The government will take serious action according to each institution’s authority. These unauthorised recording activities must be stopped, and we will take serious action in our respective fields. At Komdigi, we will certainly follow up by taking measured steps to resolve this issue, she stated. Smart glasses equipped with built-in cameras are increasingly popular as they allow users to take photos or videos without the hassle of using a mobile phone. However, this technological innovation has sparked controversy, including the incident at GIIAS. Such disturbing practices are often difficult for victims to detect because the device looks like ordinary glasses. The controversy began when a Threads account claimed she was made the object of a video without ever being informed. She only discovered the recording after the video circulated on social media. According to her account, there was never any prior consent that she would be used as personal content. She also claimed she was not given any explanation regarding the video concept or the use of a camera said to be embedded in the glasses. Privacy concerns are one of the main issues surrounding smart glasses. As a solution, manufacturers like Meta include a flashing light feature that cannot be turned off when the glasses are used to take photos or record videos.