Meta Silently Added Face-Recognition Code for Its Smart Glasses to Millions of Phones
Meta has quietly embedded face-recognition technology for its upcoming smart glasses into an app downloaded by millions of users, revealing a potential shift in the company’s approach to biometric data collection and privacy. The feature, internally named NameTag, is designed to identify individuals via the glasses’ camera and alert the wearer when a match is found, using biometric data stored on the user’s phone. This discovery comes after a WIRED analysis of the Meta AI app revealed that the technology had been integrated into the software despite the company’s public claims of still being “in the thinking-through phase.”
The Face Recognition Feature Is Already on Millions of Phones
The NameTag system is embedded in the Meta AI companion app, which has been downloaded over 50 million times and is essential for using Meta’s smart glasses. While the feature is not yet activated, the code suggests that it could be turned on at any time. Once enabled, the glasses would capture faces and convert them into faceprints—unique biometric data points—stored locally on the user’s device. These faceprints would then be matched against a database of known faces on the phone, potentially allowing users to identify individuals in real time.
The system includes three AI models: one for face detection, one for cropping, and a third for encoding into biometric data. These models have already been deployed to users' phones through multiple software updates this year. The user interface is still minimal, but a May update rebranded the feature as “Connections,” suggesting its intended use.
A Resurgence of Controversial Technology
This development marks a resurgence of a feature Meta had previously abandoned. In 2021, the company announced it would delete over a billion faceprints from its platform following years of legal and ethical scrutiny. At the time, Meta faced a $650 million settlement with Illinois users and a $1.4 billion agreement with Texas over alleged unlawful biometric data collection. The return of NameTag raises questions about whether Meta is rethinking its stance on the technology, particularly as consumer-level face recognition becomes more common in wearable devices.
Privacy advocates argue that embedding such technology into mass-market wearables could normalize its use, despite the risks. Woodrow Hartzog, a professor of privacy law at Boston University, notes that even if users are given the option to opt in, the power dynamic remains skewed. “Framing privacy as a matter of personal choice is advantageous to businesses,” he says. “It places no meaningful limits on data collection while letting companies claim users are in control.”
A Future of Ubiquitous Recognition
The implications of NameTag are vast and uncertain. If activated, it could transform the way users interact with their surroundings, allowing them to instantly recognize people in public spaces. However, the potential for misuse—by stalkers, employers, or even governments—has already drawn criticism. Over 70 advocacy groups have urged Meta to abandon the feature, citing concerns over safety and privacy.
Meta has not yet confirmed whether it plans to activate NameTag, nor has it specified who would be included in the recognition database. The company insists that no central face database is being built and that any deployment would be done with “full transparency.” But the existence of the code, already in the hands of millions, suggests that the path to activation is not far.
As the wearable tech industry evolves, Meta’s approach to NameTag could set a precedent. If the feature is eventually enabled, it may redefine the boundaries of personal privacy in public spaces. The question remains: will the technology be used to enhance user experience, or will it become yet another tool for pervasive surveillance?
