As I've said before, Google is garnering a ton of press from Glass - a product that isn't slated for release until sometime in 2014. While the majority of attention has been positive, some have called into question what could be described as pressing privacy issues.
The topic has since gone from casual discussion to a demand for answers as a Congressional privacy group recently requested that Google CEO Larry Page address several lingering privacy concerns regarding the technology. The bi-partisan group sent Page a letter containing eight questions with a deadline of June 14 to respond.
In it, the group asks how Google plans to prevent unintentional collection of data from users and non-users without consent. The second question is a multi-part question that deals with protecting the privacy of those not wearing Glass. Next up is a question designed to clarify facial recognition features and determine limits that Google will place on it to avoid invading privacy.
The next five questions simply dig deeper into Google's plans for privacy. I'll spare you for the sake of brevity but if you're interested in reading through the entire letter, it can be viewed simply by clicking here.
In an interview with The New York Times on the matter, Google's director of product management for Glass Steve Lee said they have consistently said they won't add new face recognition features unless there are strong privacy protections in place. What's more, he said they are thinking very carefully about how they design Glass because new technology always raises new issues.