Australia’s privacy regulator opened a formal investigation into the HeyCyan app developer.
Why it matters: The case tests how Australia’s privacy rules apply to consumer wearables that capture images, video and surrounding sounds. It also examines whether those rules can be enforced against an overseas software provider.
- The OAIC opened the investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng Future Technology Co. after the company did not respond to multiple inquiries.
- HeyCyan-enabled glasses are sold through Kmart, Big W Marketplace, Amazon and other online channels, according to ABC News.
- ABC reported that testing found more than a dozen security flaws, including possible exposure of images, videos, email addresses and dates of birth.
- Kmart’s Anko smartglasses launched at A$89 on July 28, 2026, and reportedly sold out nationwide within about a week.
Australia’s Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has opened a formal investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng Future Technology Co., the China-based developer of the HeyCyan app used with low-cost smartglasses sold in Australia, ABC News reported on October 7, 2026.
The OAIC previously sent inquiries to Shenzhen Qingcheng, Kmart, BDI Technology, Meta and Google about how the glasses record, process, access and store personal information. Shenzhen Qingcheng is the only company identified in the supplied materials as currently subject to a formal investigation.
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said Shenzhen Qingcheng “did not respond at all to our multiple attempts to obtain information.” The regulator is examining the company’s privacy practices, privacy policy and findings from third-party technical analysis, The Guardian reported.
The glasses can capture photographs and high-definition video, while the HeyCyan software supports calls, music and an AI assistant. ABC’s September 22 report said testing identified more than a dozen serious flaws, including possible exposure of images, videos, email addresses and dates of birth, and that some glasses could be hijacked over Bluetooth without a password.
The supplied materials do not identify the testing organisation or named analysts, and do not specify whether the findings applied to the HeyCyan app, its website, the glasses’ firmware or all three. They also do not provide the testing report’s publication date, scope or methodology.
Kind said the OAIC had concerns about possible facial-recognition use and whether reasonable steps had been taken to secure Australians’ information. The regulator urged retailers to reconsider selling HeyCyan-enabled glasses while the investigation continues. The materials describe this as a request or recommendation, not a formal direction.
ABC reported that Kmart’s Anko smartglasses launched at A$89 on July 28, 2026, and sold out nationwide within about a week. HeyCyan-enabled models were also reported as being available through Kmart, Big W Marketplace, Amazon and other online channels.
By the numbers
- A$89 - launch price reported for Kmart’s Anko smartglasses
- July 28, 2026 - reported launch date
- More than a dozen - security flaws reported in testing
Yes, but: The supplied materials do not include a direct OAIC announcement, the technical testing report, the names of the independent analysts, or an official citation for the Privacy Act penalty formulas and 2026 consultation. They also do not establish that facial recognition was operating, that Australians were harmed, or which product component was affected by each security finding.
What's next: The OAIC investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng Future Technology Co. is continuing.