sarah price google glass
Sarah Price, Google Glass Community Advocate – photo credit: Max Braun

Google is set to hold two ‘Glass Foundry’ developer events for Google Glass at the end of January and early February. While we’ve been hoping to get fresh details out of the event, it sounds like we’ll have to rely on leaks — Google has sent a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to developers who will be attending the event.

ReadWrite got their hands on the developer NDA that attendees must sign. ReadWrite paraphrased the content to protect the identity of the source:

Google Glass Foundry Developer Agreement (NDA)

1. General

  • Google “may” give attendees access to “Glass and other Google products,” but it’s only for testing purposes and to solicit feedback.
  • Only U.S. residents are allowed.
  • The Google Glass devices attendees “may” receive can be used only in the U.S.
  • No one other than the attendee can wear or use Glass without Google’s permission.
  • Either Google or the participant can terminate participation freely.
  • Everything is covered under Google’s overall terms of service andprivacy policy, as well as any additional terms for individual products.
  • Google warns participants not to use Glass while driving, biking, using sharp objects, or playing sports, and to use caution while walking and crossing streets. If they have any concern about the safety of using Glass, Google asks participants to stop using them and return them immediately.
  • Glass has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmitters/receivers, but since it hasn’t been FCC authorized, they must remain in the hands of authorized testers.
  • Google will collect feedback from users, including location and usage data, survey responses, and recordings of voice or images taken during in-person interviews or studies. It will all be associated with participants’ names and retained by Google.
  • Photos or videos taken of Glass devices or at Glass Foundry events, including (but not limited to) images of the participants wearing Glass, are Google’s confidential information, and participants can’t copy, store, or share them without Google’s written consent.
  • Participants are not allowed to use their own Google accounts with Glass. They’re getting developer accounts to which Google has full access, which will be deleted after the agreement is over.
  • Photos taken wearing Glass will all be added to the Instant Upload album of developers’ test Google+ accounts, so Google will see them all immediately, as well as their location data.

2. Ownership and Intellectual Property Rights

  • Google owns everything, basically. “You waive any moral rights you have and agree not to exercise them.” (The term “moral rights” is lawyer-speak for a very specific set of copyright restrictions.)
  • Google can only use participants’ photos and videos externally with their consent, except photos, audio, and video of or by the participant while using Glass or at the Foundry event. Google can use that internally or externally as it pleases.
  • Google “may” provide participants with copies of their photos and videos, but they can use them externally only with Google’s consent.
  • Software developed by participants is governed by separate terms.

3. Confidentiality

  • Participants cannot talk to the media or post publicly about Glass without Google’s written consent.
  • All information provided by Google to participants, as well as their feedback, is Google’s confidential information. If participants are legally required to disclose any information, they must tell Google immediately.

4. Term and Termination

  • The agreement goes into effect when signed, and participants have to notify Google in writing to terminate it. Google can suspend or terminate participation at any time.
  • Sections 2 through 8 still apply after the agreement is terminated.
  • Participants have to return Glass devices and confidential info to Google immediately after the agreement is terminated.
  • Google will delete the developer’s account information after termination but keep all the photos, videos, logs, and usage and location data.
  • If participants breach the terms of the agreement, Google can blacklist them forever from developer programs.

Miscellaneous Bits At The End

  • Google is liable for warranty claims in relation to this program only up to $100.
  • Google is indemnified against anything participants do in violation of the agreement.
  • Google’s failure to enforce any provision of the agreement does not constitute a waiver of it.
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Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • ThePhi

    These glasses look really ugly! Except if the improvement or possibilities are really big (NOT filming your friend around, going to Google map) I can’t imagine people with that around me…
    And for the price, it’s so expensive that I can’t think of people wearing that without arising temptation around them (like flashing your gaudy 600 IPhone in front of people…)

    • Ben Lang

      Good point, if they are very expensive they might be a target for theft! I wonder though how hard it would be to steal something off of someone’s face.

      • ThePhi

        People are stolen as they are using their phone… so keeping that inside their hand, very close to their face. Same principle here. And this one worths a ridiculous $1.500 !

  • New

    This is the future, boys. Society needs to start getting used devices like this. I have no problem with it, but I can’t say the same for some 50 year old Midwestern woman who would probably stare down the Glass user like a hawk. In 10 years, devices like this are going to be used by everyone and with even crazier designs or uses, so just get used to it.