Meta Removes Facial Recognition Code From Smart Glasses App After Report

Meta quietly scrubbed facial recognition software from its smart glasses app. The removal happened barely two days after a WIRED journalist revealed the code.

The discovery sparked concerns that users’ everyday activities could be under surveillance. And the removal shows that tech companies are quick to react whenever the public raises an alarm about things that put privacy at risk.

What WIRED found inside Meta’s AI app

According to the investigation, there is serious concern over facial recognition capabilities in the Meta AI app, which also powers the smart glasses that Meta is currently developing.

Internally, Meta uses the name “NameTag” for this system. The NameTag facial recognition system uses multiple AI engines that work collaboratively. One can identify a face. Another can separate the face from the background of the image. And one converts the identified face into a digital fingerprint for that individual.

Experts call this a faceprint, more like a fingerprint, except this one is for the face. The software could then match the faceprint against an existing database. If the system found a match, the glasses wearer might get a notification. They would learn who they were looking at.

Even worse, the app could save unrecognized faces. It would remember them for future encounters. That means if you crossed paths again, the glasses could identify you then.

Meta says the feature never turned on. It claims the code was experimental and inactive. The company also says it never built a massive central database of faces.

But critics have a different view. They argue the code’s presence in a shipped product proves development went far.

Meta removes the code in record time

The speed with which Meta reacted to the WIRED article was surprising. Just 48 hours after the initial report, the facial recognition software was removed from the site. Typically, when a company reacts this quickly, there is some type of intention.

Meta’s representatives claimed that some aspects of the report were not accurate due to the manner in which they were presented. They stated that the facial recognition system was only a prototype at this point and had not been fully developed.

However, there is one area where Meta has failed to provide an answer. If the company’s software was only a prototype with no issues, why would the company remove it so quickly?

Meta also hasn’t said whether NameTag might return. Future versions of its smart glasses could still get facial recognition. The company remains quiet on that front.

Meanwhile, leaked code suggests X is developing its own mandatory facial biometric verification system, showing that major platforms are exploring similar identity technology.

Why privacy experts are sounding alarms

This controversy isn’t just about Meta. It touches something much bigger.

Facial recognition technology lets people identify you without your knowledge. You’d be going about your normal activity with absolutely no idea that a stranger is using their smart glasses to scan your face without your consent.

Smart glasses make this problem worse. Security cameras stay in one place. But smart glasses move with the wearer. They go everywhere.

Imagine walking down a street and a random guy’s glasses could identify you. Or you’re relaxing in a coffee shop and one dude across the room is running your face through a database. Or you’re just chilling at a concert or wandering around the mall, and someone near you puts on their fancy glasses and suddenly knows way more about you than you’d ever share with a stranger.

That’s creepy, and privacy advocates are seriously against such. They’re concerned that stalkers may find this feature useful. Harassment is another big concern too. Worse, those glasses might easily be used to track people without their consent. They believe people should move through public spaces without strangers identifying them.

The timing makes this especially notable. Meta once deactivated a facial recognition system on Facebook in 2021. The company deleted billions of facial templates. That move followed years of criticism, legal fights, and regulatory pressure.

Now NameTag has people questioning whether facial recognition is coming back.

Smart glasses keep getting smarter

Meta has bet big on wearable AI. They’re teaming up with Ray-Ban and Oakley, rolling out these smart glasses that can snap pictures, record video, play music, and you can even make calls with it and interact with their AI assistant. Pretty slick if you’re into that kind of thing.

Fans think these glasses are at the peak of convenience; they rave about how easy they are to use. People are all hyped about future upgrades like real-time translation or getting directions right in front of your eyes. Even stuff like learning random facts about whatever you’re looking at.

But not everyone’s buying the hype. Critics think it could cause serious cases of invasion of privacy. And facial recognition touches the most sensitive information of all: your identity.

Some questions remain unanswered

Meta’s quick removal didn’t end the debate. People still have doubts and certain critical areas still need clarification.

How far along was NameTag’s development? Did Meta ever seriously consider releasing it? Why did the company delete the code immediately after the report came out?

For now, the facial recognition components are gone. But the incident shows a growing tension in tech. Facial recognition is at the heart of many arguments regarding AI technology. While technology companies are seeking to offer new features that leverage AI technology, consumers wish to have their right to privacy respected.

As the adoption of smart glasses increases, the debates surrounding the use of AI will increase too. The rapid rise and fall of Meta’s NameTag system proves one thing. Facial recognition is one of the most divisive technologies today.