UK Cinemas Ban Google Glass For Fear of Piracy

Why did the UK ban Google Glass in movie theaters if it's still impossible to record a full movie on it?

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Complex Original

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Glass warfare rages on.  

Coming right on the heels of Google Glass' UK release, the United Kingdom is allowing establishments to regulate against the use of Google's infamous eyewear. Although UK data collectors deemed Google Glass safe to use in most places, private domestic companies can still enforce their own rules. A week after Google Glass went on sale for 1,000 pounds in the UK, cinemas in the area are banning them in fear of piracy. 

According The Independent, movie theaters are scared that “Explorers” will use the wearable technology to record and illegally sell movies.  Phil Clapp, Chief Executive of the Cinema Exhibitors’ Association goes on to say that "customers will be requested not to wear these into cinema auditoriums, whether the film is playing or not".

Customers will be requested not to wear these into cinema auditoriums, whether the film is playing or not.

Popular UK movie chains Vue and Odeon have already started implementing the ban asking moviegoers to remove the gadget as soon as the lights dim and requested guests as well as employees do not wear Google Glass in the establishment. Although the fear of piracy is understandable, Google still took a stand against the ban.

Google believes that the eyewear should be viewed as any other device such as a smartphone or tablet, which are also capable of recording movies. They go on to add that banning Glass but not phones isn’t the best idea, as the eyewear is in fact not even capable of capturing an entire movie.  Between a recording capacity of 45 minutes, a small imaging sensor and minimal storage, recording an entire movie on Google Glass is nearly impossible. 

 

[ via Engadget

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