Google is finally realizing what the rest of the world has known for some time: People who wear Google Glass can sometimes be “creepy or rude.”
To avoid freaking people out even more than Glass wearers already do, Google has released a set of dos and don’ts for those who wear Glass, with a number of suggestions that might help non-Glass wearers feel more comfortable.
At the top of the don’ts list, Google suggests that people who use the wearable computer shouldn’t overly engage with it in public because they will look strange if they are standing around staring up into the air for no apparent reason.
Other suggestions by Google seem to be pretty obvious, though the company is still spelling them out. “Standing alone in the corner of a room staring at people while recording them through Glass is not going to win you any friends,” the company wrote. “Ask permission before taking photos or videos of others.”
One way to avoid making people feel uncomfortable is to slip Glass around your neck or put them in a backpack.
Google also said that it has learned that if you wear Google Glass people are going to want to talk to you about the new technology. “Be patient and explain that Glass has a lot of the same features as a mobile phone,” including the camera, maps, email and other technologies, Google says.
Surprisingly, Google acknowledged a somewhat derogatory term that has been floating around San Francisco, noting that people who wear Google Glass can be known as a “Glasshole.” In the Bay Area, it’s not uncommon to see a number of people wearing Google’s wearable computer.
To avoid being called a “Glasshole,” Google suggests that people “respect others and if they have questions about Glass don’t get snappy. Be polite and explain what Glass does and remember, a quick demo can go a long way.”
The suggestions aren’t all about Glass’s creepy factor. The company also touts a number of virtues of wearing Google Glass, including, being able to “take advantage of the Glass voice commands” that allow people to use it hands-free while “golfing, cooking, or juggling flaming torches while balancing on a beach ball.”