The U.S. Air Force prohibits troops from using smart glasses—earphones and other Bluetooth devices are also restricted to official duties while in uniform

The U.S. Air Force has prohibited all personnel from using smart glasses and has restricted the use of earphones and other Bluetooth devices while in uniform during official duties. According to its dress and personal appearance policy announcement, “It is unauthorized to wear mirrored lenses or smart glasses with photo, video, or artificial intelligence capabilities while in uniform.” Furthermore, the use of earbuds — specifically Earpieces, headphones, or any Bluetooth wireless technology — is now restricted to personnel cleared for official duties.

The announcement did not specify why these devices were prohibited from use while in uniform, other than stating it was “designed to uphold military professionalism” and to foster “a more effective and mission-ready Force.” However, though not explicitly stated, smart glasses frequently capture photos and videos automatically, which are subsequently synced to the cloud. This is a dire scenario for operational security, since it might accidentally expose classified details, particularly for individuals stationed at or around top secret facilities.

In addition, it banned uniformed personnel from using earbuds, whether wired or wireless, unless explicitly permitted for official duties. The restriction also applied to the use of personal electronic media devices, such as earpieces, speakerphones, or text messaging, while walking, except in emergencies or when required for official communications. Nevertheless, the regulation included a few exceptions — uniformed personnel may use them while commuting on public transit or while wearing athletic attire during individual or unit fitness activities Instruction.

Public tracking technology has long posed a challenge for military forces. It first became evident in 2018, when fitness apps such as Strava and Polar, started showing where their users were taking their runs. This accidentally exposed the location and arrangement of several U.S. Bases—even the classified ones. Even though the users stayed anonymous, jogging trails that suddenly materialized suggested that an installation existed there. Aligning with publicly accessible exercise data greatly simplifies verifying open-source intelligence, heightening the base’s operational threats.

Smart glasses are also emerging as a notable threat, particularly as they’ve grown more discreet and advanced. 3DTested’s review of the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses reveal that they appear as a completely ordinary pair of glasses, yet retain the capacity to record what the user sees and hears. And while the Ray-Bans feature a white LED light on the frame to show they’re recording, some users managed to turn it off. This allowed them to be used for covert recording.

This threat also reaches beyond malicious elements inside the U.S. Air Force. The service currently employs more than 300,000 active-duty personnel — meaning that even if only 1% of them adopt smart glasses, that still amounts to 3,000 smart devices requiring monitoring and strengthening against cyber threats. So, to keep it straightforward, it simply opted to fully prohibit smart devices for those in uniform.

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