Vienna student allowed to keep wearing camera glasses at school

A student at a secondary school in Vienna has worn Meta smart glasses in class since December 2025 and refused to take them off.

The glasses have a camera and microphone, and classmates and teachers say they feel watched because it is hard to tell when the glasses are recording.

The school suspended the student several times and then expelled him for breaking its ban on smart glasses.

His parents challenged the expulsion, and Austria’s Federal Administrative Court overturned it because the school could not prove that he had secretly recorded anyone.

The court’s decision means the student may continue wearing the glasses, despite the school’s concerns.

The education ministry is considering a general ban on camera glasses in schools, citing privacy concerns and the possibility of cheating in exams.

The regional education authority has requested a further review, which could bring the case before Austria’s Administrative Court.