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Meta Smart Glasses' Facial Recognition Feature Raises Privacy Concerns

Meta is facing mounting criticism following reports that it is developing a new facial recognition feature for its Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, amid warnings from rights organizations about its implications for privacy and personal security.

According to a report by Wired, the company is working on an internal feature called "Name Tag," which allows users to point the camera at passersby to obtain instant information about them via Meta's AI assistant.

Reports indicate that the company is considering two versions of this feature: one limited to people linked to the user's Meta accounts, and a broader version that could recognize anyone with public accounts on Facebook or Instagram, according to a report published by Digital Trends.

In response, more than 70 civil liberties and human rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and groups like Fight for the Future and Access Now, signed a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding he halt the project before its rollout.

These organizations warn that the proposed feature could become a dangerous tool for privacy violations, as bystanders have no option to consent to the collection of their data or identification, opening the door to misuse by harassers, law enforcement, or other parties. 

Reports also indicate that an internal company memo from May 2025, outlining plans to launch some of these technologies in a changing political environment, has been leaked, sparking widespread controversy among digital rights activists.

This comes at a time when Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are already facing increasing scrutiny, following previous reports about the possibility of recording videos without users' full awareness of how the data is used to train artificial intelligence systems. 

In an official statement, Meta confirmed that it does not currently offer this feature and that any future development will be subject to careful consideration, while the debate continues regarding the company's commitment to its privacy promises.