POLICE INVESTIGATE TIKTOKER OVER ALLEGED SECRET FILMING WITH SMART GLASSES

Police Scotland is investigating Scott Margerison after footage posted online allegedly showed members of the public being secretly filmed using Meta smart glasses without their knowledge. Margerison, aged 42 and from Rochdale, posted videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube under the alias E Dobbin during a road trip across Scotland in late June and early July. Police Scotland confirmed it had received complaints and was assessing the content to establish whether any criminal offences had been committed. The BBC attempted to contact Margerison for comment.

The videos allegedly showed Margerison filming shop workers, ferry staff and members of the public whilst wearing the glasses, which contain tiny cameras. One video featured an interaction with a Sikh shopkeeper on Skye, where he discussed what he described as "forced" diversity in Europe and referred to the Kalergi Plan, described as a far-right conspiracy theory. The shopkeeper, a UK-born woman of Indian heritage who has lived on Skye for 20 years, politely suggested his comments were "slightly derogatory". Another video showed him making sexualised comments about young women and using profanity in an unprovoked outburst on a CalMac ferry. One video prompted CalMac to suspend popular tours of the bridge of the ferry Loch Seaforth.

The investigation reflects growing concern over the use of smart glasses and artificial intelligence technology in public spaces. Many of Margerison's videos feature what he describes as "harmless banter" with strangers, though others reportedly contain exchanges with young women and people from ethnic minorities that have a "darker side", according to reports of the footage. The case highlights questions about consent and recording in public spaces as smart glasses technology becomes more widely available.