Wired finds inactive nametag facial recognition in Meta smart glasses
Meta has been called out for having hidden facial recognition software in its smart glasses.
Wired found a feature called NameTag in the Meta AI app, which can turn faces into biometric data and compare them to a database stored on connected phones.
The feature isn't active or available to users right now, but its existence has people concerned about privacy as these glasses become more popular.
Privacy advocates warn, Meta vows transparency
Privacy advocates warn that even inactive features like NameTag could be misused down the line, especially given Meta's history with user data (including a $1.4 billion biometric settlement last year).
Critics say this could open doors to more surveillance if fully launched.
Meta pushed back, calling the report "sensational" and insisting NameTag is just research, not something users can access. They also promised transparency if they ever decide to roll it out for real.