{ "id": 51320, "date": "2025-10-11T21:02:46", "date_gmt": "2025-10-11T14:02:46", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/hbbgroup.net\/ai-powered-wearables-will-force-our-privacy-norms-to-change\/" }, "modified": "2025-10-11T21:02:46", "modified_gmt": "2025-10-11T14:02:46", "slug": "ai-powered-wearables-will-force-our-privacy-norms-to-change", "status": "publish", "type": "post", "link": "https:\/\/hbbgroup.net\/en_us\/ai-powered-wearables-will-force-our-privacy-norms-to-change\/", "title": { "rendered": "AI-powered wearables will force our privacy norms to change" }, "content": { "rendered": "
\n

Opinion by: Evin McMullen, co-founder and CEO of Billions Network and co-founder of Privado ID<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Population monitoring has evolved over the years. First, it was from other people; later, it was data harvesting. In 2025, wearable technology is the new frontier for broader public surveillance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t necessarily some dystopia, nor is it comfortable \u2014 it is a new paradigm in how we engage with each other and our data. While it\u2019s inevitable that people will need to redefine their expectations around privacy<\/a> as we enter this new era of surveillance, now is the time to seize the opportunity to shape this new normal before technology sidelines us from active participants to passive subjects.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The way to do this is through cryptography.<\/p>\n

Surveillance through the ages<\/h2>\n

For most of human history, surveillance and intelligence operations were limited to what the eye could see. This meant that police officers and detectives were the primary sources of public data, and the population accepted this as necessary for the state to keep them safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As surveillance methods advanced with technology, such as satellite imagery and internet monitoring, so did society\u2019s discomfort. CCTV initially sparked outrage among civil liberties groups over creating a so-called \u201cBig Brother\u201d society. Over time, however, the population grew to understand that these powers exist so that malevolent actors can be weeded out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era of surveillance, driven by wearables, decentralized networking and, of course, AI\u2019s pervasive and alluring influence. This \u201cinfinite panopticon\u201d era will be defined by technology\u2019s pervasiveness and a broader acceptance of surveillance.<\/p>\n

Remember Google Glass? The wearable computer from Google in 2013 is now a museum piece, but it normalized the idea of technology being an extension of the self.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Fast forward to 2025, and augmented reality (AR) devices are becoming more common and sophisticated. In addition to smartphones, we have smartwatches, cars, televisions, \u201cpersonal assistants,\u201d doorbells and more \u2014 all harvesting our data 24\/7. This trend is expected to continue, with more advanced AI embedded in the latest products.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Related: <\/strong><\/em>Everyone laughed at these 10 gadgets. Now, they\u2019re in every home<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Consider Meta\u2019s Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, which allow users to make calls, send texts, control features and more. Apple is joining in the fun with its own smart glasses due in 2026, which will offer \u201cmultimodal AI,\u201d integration with Siri and the ability to \u201canalyze\u201d the wearer\u2019s environment.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the same offer Big Tech<\/a> has been making for decades: We\u2019ll give you the future in return for more intimate data.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The difference with wearables? They\u2019re not monetizing your searches, but your conversational tone, your emotions\u2026 all the private little things that make us who we are.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, as has happened with CCTV and social media tracking, most people will likely accept that this is the next phase of how services work. This is not to say that there won\u2019t be debates, but the benefits will open up so many doors that these practices will broadly be accepted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fortunately, there\u2019s technology in place that can minimize the invasiveness while maximizing the benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Increasingly perfect technology<\/h2>\n

This technological monitoring explosion has led to many legal and ethical debates about individuals\u2019 right to privacy in the digital age. There have been developments like Edward Snowden\u2019s revelations about the US National Security Agency spying on ordinary American citizens or the Cambridge Analytica scandal, reminding all citizens about their data\u2019s value. Despite these revelations and debates, most users will still accept digital monitoring for its benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This represents a growing demand for a new model of how we engage with our privacy. Users can become active participants in their sovereignty, having a say in what data they allow to be collected and, ultimately, what is done with it. The paradigm is shifting, putting humans in control of their digital footprint for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is making this paradigm shift acceptable is a form of cryptography \u2014 zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs<\/a>. ZK-proofs mean that data can be analyzed and confirmed as valid without revealing what that data is. This is the key to making broader data collection fair and safe for the wider public. Just because an automated system authenticates a user\u2019s age, address or other information doesn\u2019t mean that any human ever needs to see it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This stands to reshape the way the population views privacy moving forward. Nobody advocates for the destruction of personal obfuscation, but between cryptography and permissioned access, users would still have a wall between their data and most of the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The reality is that the benefits of the latest technologies are only possible with data capture. For users who want these benefits, a certain degree of invasive monitoring is inevitable. Now, the infrastructure and devices used for surveillance will shape the norms of everyday life.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, cryptography offers a path where everyone can benefit from a world where intelligent surveillance is part of the societal everyday experience. Still, it will require a new way of looking at our privacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Opinion by: Evin McMullen, co-founder and CEO of Billions Network and co-founder of Privado ID.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author\u2019s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.<\/p>\n