A History of Google Glassholes in the News

Over 10,000 tech evangelists are participating in the Google Glass Explorer program, each one dropping a cool $1,500 to parade the streets testing the prototype smartglasses. The technology is already proving to be the future of eyewear. However, a third of users are failing to adopt the proper Glass etiquette—looking like straight creepers and douchebags, with a handful of others falling into the group for their unbeknownst actions. Society has labeled them Glassholes.

The recent string of controversies surrounding Google’s groundbreaking device has only thrown Glass users in the critical line of fire, with privacy issues being the biggest concern for average citizens. But as we’ve witnessed, some are just out for the notoriety, while others remain humbly clueless to the consequences that come with rocking the hi-tech specs. Either way, they’re starting trouble somewhere. Here is A History of Google Glassholes in the News.

RELATED: For One Day, Google Will Let Anyone in America Buy Google Glass. Brace Yourselves.

Date: April 28, 2013

Tech connoisseur Robert Scobble took his pledge of never taking off Google Glass to extremes when snapping a shower photo with the optics still on his head. The image caught the attention of CEO Larry Page, who made a surprise appearance at the company's I/O conference and interrupted dude before he could ask a question, saying the following: “Robert, I really didn’t appreciate the shower photo.” Meta-sarcasm? Possibly. Still, it’s never a great look when the boss of Google puts you on blast in front of an entire audience.

Date: June 28, 2013

So a guy walks into a strip club wearing Glass. The bartender asks, “Ask you recording?” and then calls the manager. Aint no punch line to it. New Yorker Patrick Hill thought bringing his special eyewear to The VIP club in Manhattan would make for a dope social experiment, while accompanied by a New York Post reporter. The duo surprisingly won over the front door man, but management wasn’t trying to have Hill record the booty action and forced him to take off the headset. Gotta pay for it bro.

Date: Aug. 13, 2013

Bringing Google Glass into a closed military zone—maybe not the best decision. But hey, you can’t discredit a journalist for trying. Miami Herald reporter Carol Rosenberg had been reporting from the prison camps at Guantanamo Bay since 2002 and planned on using the eyewear to record interviews at the base. Ironically, U.S. Army escorts reacted with enthusiasm, but Army Lt. Col. Samuel House shut Rosenberg down due to the command staff being suspicious of the technology, therefore forbidding her from bringing it anywhere near the detention center zone.

Date: Oct. 29. 2013

Cecilia Abadie was originally pulled over for speeding on the highway, then caught another citation for rocking the hi-tech optics while driving for breaking California vehicle code 27602, which prohibits use of any video-display objects in front of the driver’s head rest. The judge saw there was no real proof of the glasses being turned on at the time and dismissed her ticket. Since the incident, a number of states have already barred motorists from driving with Google Glass, stating the device serves as a distraction that could lead to accidents on the road.

Date: Nov. 26, 2013

Network engineer Nick Starr just wanted some grub at the local 24-hour diner. Unfortunately for him, he picked the wrong spot to rock his shades, as the Lost Lake Café enforced a zero tolerance policy on Google Glass and booted homie from the establishment. Starr mouthed off on Facebook about the incident, enticing owner David Meinert to respond with the following: “I think the crazy part is that this guy comes into a diner and is asked to change behavior in a way that’s our right to ask of him. He doesn’t like it, so he tries to get the server fired. It’s a total [expletive] move.”Guess neither were willing to take the high road on this one.

Date: 2014

A story with so many conflicting accounts, all that's known is pedestrian Matt Hunt was kicked out of the Telegraph bar in Oakland for refusing to take off his pair of Glass. Hunt went on to claim he was assaulted and called a faggot by staff members, while bar owner John Mardikian states Hunt retaliated by defaming the bar on social media. The alleged victim had also been suspected of hacking Telegraph’s Twitter account to advertise an anti-gay hate speech. Dramaville.

Date: Jan. 25, 2014

An AMC theater had homeland security officers detain and interrogate an anonymous moviegoer under the suspicion he was using the headset to record and pirate the spy film Jack Reacher: Shadow Recruit. The guy spoke with The Gadgeteer about the incident, stating the following: "About an hour into the movie (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit), a guy comes near my seat, shoves a badge that had some sort of a shield on it, yanks the Google Glass off my face and says “follow me outside immediately.” Who knew movie theaters were narcing people out like that.

Date: Feb. 24, 2014

Looks like the punk rock crowd in the Bay Area isn't fond of Google's innovative eyewear. Tech reporter Sarah Slocum learned this the hard way when several people showed their displeasure of the headset at the Molotov Bar, proceeding to verbally and physically assault her. Slocum got her Glass back, but an unknown assailant supposedly took off her with her purse, smartphone, and wallet. Ouch.