Courts across England and Wales have joined restaurants, theatres and pubs in banning Meta smart glasses amid growing concerns over their potential use as “spyware”.

The move follows a ban announced last month by courts in New York against the controversial glasses, which are capable of recording video while being worn.

His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service, which oversees criminal, civil and family courts in England and Wales, has now confirmed that Meta glasses will be confiscated from anyone attempting to enter its judicial buildings.

An HMCTS spokesperson said “There are clear restrictions on taking images or videos within courts and tribunals which is why the use of Meta glasses is prohibited,” according to The Guardian.

Recording images or video in UK court buildings without official permission is prohibited and can result in contempt of court proceedings.

Although lawyers and members of the public are permitted to enter court buildings with smartphones, which can record both audio and video, HMCTS said the same exception does not apply to smart glasses.

In February, members of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s security team were seen wearing the company’s smart glasses during a high-profile California trial examining the impact of social media addiction.