Google co-founder Sergey Brin wears Google Glass glasses at an announcement for the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences at Genentech Hall on UCSFs Mission Bay campus in San Francisco, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (AP2013)
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio man who wore Google Glass to a movie theater was questioned by federal authorities who suspected him of illegally recording the movie "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit."
Federal authorities say they questioned the man at an AMC theater in Columbus on Saturday after theater employees saw him wearing the device. Authorities did not identify him.
The man told The Columbus Dispatch that two people questioned him outside the theater and asked to see his work and personal cellphones and wallet. They asked him why he was using the Google Glass device to record the movie and he told them he wasn’t.
The government said no action was taken after the man confirmed the Google Glass was also a pair of prescription glasses with the recording function inactive.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Khaalid Walls told The Columbus Dispatch the man voluntarily answered questions from officers with ICE Homeland Security Investigations.
AMC says it contacted authorities after identifying someone wearing a recording device. Spokesman Ryan Noonan said in a statement the company takes movie theft seriously.
"While we're huge fans of technology and innovation, wearing a device that has the capability to record video is not appropriate at the movie theatre," Noonan told The Columbus Dispatch.
The man told the Columbus Dispatch he has had the device since November as part of Google’s Explorer program. He said he paid $1,500 for the Glass and $600 for prescription lenses.
“I realize it’s stupid to have a device with a camera pointed at the screen,” he said. “But I didn’t even think of it, because I don’t use Google Glass to record other people.”
Both ICE, which investigates piracy and counterfeiting, and the Motion Picture Association of America, were involved.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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