The shop worker’s comments come during an ongoing debate about the use of smart glasses, several million pairs of which have been manufactured and sold in recent years by some of the world’s biggest technology companies.
Meta’s Ray-bans are currently the most popular on the market, estimated to make up more than 80% of all AI or smart glasses sales. But their increased use has also prompted safety concerns.
The retail worker who served Barrymore told the : “Personally I wasn’t unduly bothered because I don’t have any particular reason to be unduly bothered.
“But I can see that there are situations in which you would be very bothered. Let’s say I’ve just come out of a very abusive relationship. It’s not particularly unusual that people have to move area to get away from somebody.
“And in those circumstances, there’s a video on social media platforms where it’s perfectly obvious where I’m working, and somewhat obvious what area, in which case I would’ve been very concerned indeed.”
The worker said he “probably wouldn’t have minded” being filmed, but that he would like to have been asked before the recording began.
Allport said such recordings were an “invasion of privacy”, and in some situations can have a “massive impact on our members’ mental health”.
She said the “really concerning” cases were times when “the customer is disgruntled about something that’s happened… they confront the shop worker, film and upload it in order to embarrass the retailer”.
“If you can imagine going to work and then being confronted by someone, having a discussion with them that may well get heated, that being filmed and then it goes on to social media, you can just imagine how those shop workers are feeling about it, it can be absolutely devastating.”
Asked what advice she would offer to Barrymore, Allport replied: “ I would say, just take five minutes before you do the filming.
“Go into the store, explain to the staff what you’re intending to do, and ask them if they mind starring in… his video.
“And I suspect quite a number of them won’t mind at all,” she added. “But it is common courtesy to ask for permission.”
