Home / Technology / Meta's Facial Recognition Plan Sparks Outcry
Meta's Facial Recognition Plan Sparks Outcry
2 Apr
Summary
- Over 60 civil society groups urged Meta to halt facial recognition plans.
- Concerns cite dangers for users, public, and national security risks.
- Meta has not confirmed plans but has been silent on privacy issues.

More than sixty U.S. civil society organizations have collectively addressed Meta, its partner EssilorLuxottica, and key government agencies including the White House, FTC, and DOJ. They are raising serious alarms about Meta's purported plans to incorporate facial recognition technology into its Ray-Ban smart glasses. The joint letter strongly condemns this potential integration, emphasizing that it would endanger the public, irrespective of consent or user status, and could be exploited by scammers, stalkers, and authoritarian regimes.
These concerns echo previous inquiries, including a letter from U.S. Senators last month. While Meta has not officially confirmed these plans, reports from February indicated the company's intention to introduce facial recognition during a period when opposition groups might be distracted. Meta's handling of user privacy, including reports of using sensitive videos from smart glasses to train AI, has intensified scrutiny. Despite escalating calls for transparency, Meta has maintained silence on the privacy implications.