Facial Recognition Feature Discovered in Meta’s AI App

According to a recent report by Wired, evidence of a facial recognition feature designed for Meta smart glasses is embedded within the Meta AI app. Although this feature isn’t currently active, available to users, or part of any previously announced functionalities, its presence suggests that Meta is seriously considering the integration of facial recognition technology into its smart glasses, a topic first highlighted by The New York Times back in February.

The code refers to the feature as “NameTag,” which is designed to recognize individuals by capturing their faces through the smart glasses. Once a face is stored, the glasses could alert the wearer when they encounter that person again. A security researcher who examined the code confirmed that NameTag is not operational, nor does it transmit any biometric data to Meta’s servers at this time. Previous iterations of the Meta AI app have included elements related to this feature, such as a “Connections” menu prompting users to “remember the people you met.”

Sources within Meta, who wished to remain anonymous, corroborated with The New York Times that the facial recognition tool is indeed referred to as “Name Tag.” Documents reviewed during the investigation indicated that Meta considered launching this feature during a “dynamic political environment” in the United States, believing that civil society groups typically critical of their operations would be distracted by other issues. While there could be accessibility advantages for visually impaired users benefiting from face identification, the ethical implications of such technology are significant and complex.

Engadget has reached out to Meta for further information regarding the code discovered by Wired and to clarify whether the company’s position on implementing facial recognition in its smart glasses has evolved. We will update this article once we receive a response.

Meta had previously incorporated facial recognition in Facebook for photo tagging but discontinued it in 2021 due to privacy concerns. In 2024, the company reintroduced facial recognition features on Instagram and Facebook, this time positioning them as safety tools for identifying faces in scam advertisements. Despite the existence of the NameTag code and Meta’s ongoing interest in facial recognition, there are currently no indications that this feature will be included in any future models of Meta’s Ray-Ban or Oakley smart glasses. Nevertheless, the continuous emergence of evidence regarding this feature is certainly noteworthy.