The excitement over Google Glass’ pending launch has stirred up some of the most interesting discussions on the matter of personal data – more specifically, how that data is shared and secured.  Glass’ ability to “see all” in multiple media types and formats (video, image, location, social graph) makes the gadget a comprehensive data hub, able to contextualize an exponentially larger number of situations than any consumer device we’ve seen.

So concerning is Google Glass’ privacy, that consumers actually want them to be regulated.  According to a recent Rackspace and Goldsmiths at the University of London study on wearable technology, a survey of around 4,000 US and UK residents found that some 20 percent of respondents believe Google Glass should be banned outright.  A noteworthy 61 percent think Glass and other wearable camera devices should at least be regulated.

It’s funny how we impose our expectations on a product that hasn’t even hit the market yet.  But the mounting pressure from consumers has only brought a deluge of more bans, the most recent being porn.  The adult content ban comes on the heels of a facial recognition ban that will protect the identity of millions around the globe.

The wave of bans forces us to take a hard look at the step we’re about to make in integrating technology at a highly personal level.  And there’s no web content more personal than porn.

Banned: The porn affect

The Monday release of MiKandi’s first porn app for Google Glass was an expected eventuality, but it quickly led to the banning of adult content on Google Glass.   More than 10,000 people visited the landing page of the app, and more than a dozen Google Glass owners have signed up for service.

Just hours after the app was released, Google altered its Glass Platform Developer Policies stating that Glassware – apps created for Google Glass – containing nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material, are not allowed on Glass and apps containing said materials will be blocked.  The revised policies also stated that Glassware containing gratuitous violence, hate speech and gambling will be blocked on Glass, while makers of Glassware containing child pornography will receive harsh penalties.

MiKandi tired to make the necessary changes needed to lift Google’s ban ,but was unable to do so given the fact that the policies’ changes were made just mere hours after the app was officially launched.

The porn app allows Glass users to share explicit content directly with others, browse photos, watch videos, send direct alerts to wearers when new content arrives, and MiKandi wanted to expand from first-person point of view videos to one-on-one interactions between adults who both have Glass.

Limiting APIs for wearable tech

MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams stated that they’re trying to contact Google as to the status of MiKandi’s account as its user’s Glass API limit was still at zero when they tried to re-enable the app after making some changes.

“We called Google to see if this meant that our account was completely blocked, but they refused to give us a clear answer,” Adams says.

When MiKandi started to work on its porn Glassware after getting its hands on Google Glass, the company checked Google’s policies regarding explicit content numerous times and again before the app went live.  Google’s actions have clearly taken the company by surprise.

It looks like future efforts for porn Glassware has been snipped by Google right in the bud, but that doesn’t mean that people can’t be creative right?

Ways to Get Porn on Google Glass

Browse the web

Glass lets you search anything you can speak, and if it can understand your request.  So if porn apps aren’t allowed, you can easily browse for porn using Google Search on Glass.  It’s simple, no need to download app, just say, “OK Glass, Google porn,” and you’re all set (unless voice recognition for “porn” is banned too…).

Hack the Glass

According to an article on The Verge, Glass has a “debug” mode that would allow users to install unapproved apps.  If worse comes to worse, users can always perform a “Factory Reset” to get your Glass back to its pre-hacked stage.

photo credit: Andrew Crow via photopin cc

photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc