The Australian privacy commissioner has opened a formal investigation into Shenzhen Qingcheng Future Technology Co, the Chinese firm behind the low‑cost smart glasses now found in Kmart, Big W Marketplace and Amazon.

An ABC investigation identified more than a dozen serious security weaknesses in the HeyCyan phone app that runs the glasses. Independent testing showed a hacker could access the device without any password.

The same testing revealed that Australians' sensitive information – including email addresses, dates of birth, images and video recordings – could be viewed by unauthorised users.

Further analysis found the glasses could be hijacked through a simple Bluetooth connection, and in some cases the data was being transmitted to servers located in China.

Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind warned retailers to reconsider selling the product. She said the commissioner can compel Shenzhen Qingcheng to provide information about its compliance and that fines of up to $50 million per contravention are possible.

Kind added that Shenzhen Qingcheng has ignored all regulator communications, failing to respond to multiple attempts to obtain information about its security practices.

These findings matter to everyday consumers because the devices can expose personal details to hackers and foreign servers, and the regulator now has powers to force the company to improve security or face heavy penalties.