South Korea sees its first criminal case involving cheating with smart glasses
“Pervert glasses” are now coming to exam sites.
Image by Cybernews
- South Korea indicted a man for allegedly using AI smart glasses to cheat in a qualification exam.
- Prosecutors say it is the country’s first criminal case involving exam cheating with smart glasses.
- Other suspects were detained after allegedly using the same method at national technical exams in Seoul and Mokpo.
- The case adds to privacy and cheating concerns as courts, universities, and gyms restrict smart glasses use.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
It’s no longer just about dirty looks from strangers – smart glasses can also earn you an indictment if you use them to cheat in exams.
The Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office in South Korea indicted a man who allegedly used AI-powered smart glasses during a fire service equipment engineer qualification exam on May 15th, 2026, according to the Korea Herald.
Light reflecting off the examinee’s glasses raised the supervisor’s suspicion.
The man later admitted to using smart glasses during the exam. He said he developed an AI application linked to the glasses and wanted to see whether the correct answers would be displayed properly.
While this marks the first criminal case in the country involving cheating with smart glasses, it's not the only time their wearers have been caught red-handed.
Stay updated with our latest stories and follow us on social media
Be the first to discover new stories, ideas, and updates from our team.
Two other men were taken into custody for using the same method at national technical qualification exam sites in Seoul and Mokpo that month, according to the Korea Herald.
Smart glasses are becoming an increasingly contentious topic due to their ability to record video and audio, sparking privacy concerns.
While glasses like Meta Ray-Ban flash a light when actively recording, some people report being secretly filmed, earning the device the nickname “pervert glasses” and wearers the nickname “glassholes.”
For instance, a secretly recorded video of a London woman amassed 40,000 views on social media. When she asked the author – a man who previously approached her on a street – to remove it, he demanded money.
Some smart glasses wearers now report on social media that they choose to leave the AI-powered device at home to avoid being accused of being “creepy.”
No country in the world has imposed a blanket ban on smart glasses, but there are growing efforts to limit their use.
New York became the first state in the US to ban eyewear and headwear containing recording technology, including smart glasses, from all courts.
Major Chinese universities are also banning a wide range of smart devices, including glasses, from examination halls. The move comes as a growing number of students were caught using the wearables to cheat, The Straits Times reports.
Kingdom Gyms, the chain of fitness centers in the UK, banned smart glasses from all its facilities in 2025 after receiving complaints from customers.