Meta's Secret 'NameTag' Facial Recognition for Glasses

Evidence of a facial recognition feature, internally codenamed 'NameTag,' has emerged within Meta's AI application, hinting at potential future integration with its smart glasses. While this functionality is not presently enabled or deployed to consumers, the discovery indicates Meta's ongoing consideration of such capabilities.

The 'NameTag' feature, as found in the code, reportedly has the capacity to scan and recognize faces captured by Meta's smart glasses. Although current reports confirm that no biometric data is being transmitted to Meta's servers, past versions of the app have contained interface elements suggesting a 'Connections' function to "remember the people you met."

Meta's interest in facial recognition for smart glasses was previously highlighted, with a memo suggesting a launch during a "dynamic political environment" in the US. Despite potential accessibility benefits for visually impaired users, the technology raises significant ethical and privacy concerns. Meta had previously retired its facial recognition technology in 2021 due to widespread privacy objections, though it has since reintroduced it for safety features on Facebook and Instagram in 2024.