Being Everyone: The Invasive Inevitability of Google Glass

LOS ANGELES—Recent musings by the incomparable Jenn McEwen of MiKandi about what she/they think the potential is for Google’s Glass tells us of course that the musings could soon become a reality. That, after all, is what MiKandi does. But they also got us thinking, especially about McEwen’s Being John Malkovich reference. First let’s make clear that however breathlessly mainstream articles seem to trumpet the imminent arrival of a Mikandi app for Glass, a closer read reveals that any app that is being developed, and we have no doubt that one currently is, will be used internally by MiKandi for the moment. "Initially we are developing this for ourselves,” McEwen told The Register. “Whenever new technology comes out we prefer to keep it simple that way. As we learn more about Glass we can build it into other applications." Makes sense to us, but so did her recent comments to Violet Blue of ZDNet about how apps for Glass may be developed. “Being hands-free and hassle-free is a simple but big difference Glass has over other similar devices,” said McEwen. “It’s so easy and familiar to wear, that from a shooter’s perspective it feels like you’re recording with your own eyes. Because it feels so natural, you can forget about the technology and just be in the moment. “On top of that,” she continued, “with Glass you can share and interact with fans and followers, allowing them intimate access to your experiences. It’s like [Being John Malkovich] where you’re viewing the world through someone else’s eyes.” The implications for privacy are already being considered and acted upon. As HuffPo reported, Glass is already banned by establishments that may or may not have good reason to be sensitive about unauthorized and uncontrolled filming. More are surely to jump on the bandwagon. But Glass’ true revolutionary promise, McEwen suggests, will not necessarily take place in closed environments but in public ones. She does not actually go there, of course, but in Being John Malkovich, the viewer, or voyeur, does indeed see everyday life through the eyes of the famous movie star, a singular experience to be sure. So yes, if one can follow a favorite celebrity/movie star/politician/porn star now on Twitter, how soon will it be before we are able to literally following these people as they go about their daily lives? It has already been proven beyond a doubt that people will allow themselves to be ruthlessly exposed on reality shows; is there any doubt that people will allow others to "live through them” 24/7? Google says the red recording light cannot be disabled, covered or worked around, and that had better be the case, but we can still imagine a slew of circumstances in which people are surreptitiously recorded. Add in the ability to upload instantaneously, essentially streaming content live, and the implications multiply. Whatever legal issues exist generally, if sexual activity is being recorded whole other layers of legality come into play. Of course, being so new, with the world at its fingertips, Glass for porn is now just ideas and concepts that are about to take flight in the capable hands of people like MiKandi, but when we also remember that the plaintiffs, defendant and lawyers involved in the 2257 case Free Speech Coalition v Holder are right now preparing to travel to Philadelphia for a trial that begins next week, and when we think about exactly how a law like 2257 might apply to Glass in particular, our head begins to spin. These are just a few of things that the lovely Jenn McEwen got us thinking about.