Smart glasses were designed to blend artificial intelligence into daily life with hands-free photos, real-time translation, and seamless recording. The initial pitch was about bringing convenience to users. The concern creeping in now is consent.
Earlier this month, CNN reported on a growing trend of men using wearable tech to record women without permission. Weeks later, a case in West and East Africa pushed that debate into sharper focus.
Authorities in Ghana and Kenya say a Russian vlogger, identified by media reports as Vladislav Liulkov, secretly filmed encounters with women with smart glasses and shared the edited clips online. He has been described as a self-styled "pickup artist." Officials in both countries are investigating the matter as cross-border abuse.
In Ghana, an initial probe suggests the suspect has left the country. The Ministry of Gender made clear that his exit “will not reduce the seriousness of the alleged conduct,” adding that the state still has a duty to pursue accountability.
Ghana’s Communications Minister Samuel George says authorities will activate INTERPOL channels and seek cooperation from Moscow. “We want the gentleman to be brought back to Ghana… to face the rigours of our law,” he said, adding that a trial in absentia remains on the table.
Russia rarely extradites its citizens. The Russian embassy in Accra has said it has “taken note” of the reports. That could leave Ghana to navigate international law, diplomacy, and digital evidence with little collaboration from the Russian government.
Kenya is also moving. Gender Minister Hanna Cheptumo called the allegations a “serious” case of gender-based violence and directed agencies to act “with urgency.”
One of his alleged victims in Ghana narrated her story to the BBC days later.
At first, “Juliet” (not her real name) thought the foreigner was joking. Then he followed her. He kept talking about marriage. He asked her to come to his hotel. When she tried to leave, she says he touched her and held her shoulder.
“I started to raise my voice,” she told BBC Pidgin. “How can I follow him and go to his house the same day I met him?"
What looked like spontaneous street flirting on social media now carries a darker context: allegations of non-consensual recording, manipulation through editing, which was followed by public shaming online.
Juliet says the videos circulating online don’t show the full story. "The videos I see online are cut-and-join,” she said. “That isn’t what happened.”
Some women that he allegedly recorded have filed formal complaints, while others have not commented publicly on the incident. Ghana’s Gender Minister Agnes Naa Momo Lartey confirmed her ministry is providing counselling and psychological support. She warned about the harm of online harassment, noting that “some of them are even suicidal” as social media users pile on judgement.
Kelechi Edeh
