Meta Silently Added Face-Recognition for Its Smart Glasses to Phones

3 hours ago

Meta has embedded face-recognition tech called 'NameTag' in its Meta AI app, downloaded over 50 million times, for use with smart glasses like Ray-Ban and Oakley models.
NameTag identifies people via the glasses' camera, alerts wearers when it recognizes someone, and processes faces into biometric signatures (faceprints), stored on users' phones.
Meta had begun shipping the code as early as January 2024, while publicly stating it was still 'thinking through' the feature, raising transparency concerns.
The feature revives face-recognition tech Meta sunsetted in 2021 after controversies, including a $650 million lawsuit settlement and plans to delete over a billion faceprints.
Privacy advocates warn NameTag could enable stalking and abuse, normalize surveillance, and challenge consent models, despite Meta claiming no central face database is planned.
Internal documents show Meta planned to debut the feature in 2025 for a blind conference, highlighting assistive needs, but it remains unclear how data will be managed or who will be identifiable.

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