Meta is working on real-time facial recognition, codenamed “Name Tag”, for smart glasses
Facebook creator Meta is reportedly working to introduce a real-time facial recognition feature, named “Name Tag,” on its flagship Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
Facial recognition on Meta smart glasses is expected to launch as soon as this year, allowing users to scan faces in public and instantly access identifying information via Meta’s AI assistant.
Meta initially announced its smart glasses at Meta Connect 2023, but the real-world impact of this technology has raised significant privacy concerns.
What is Meta’s Name Tag feature?
Meta’s ongoing name tag feature is designed to enable Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses to:
- Identify individuals in real time
- Recover personal information linked to your identity
- View these details via the glasses’ built-in AI interface
This development would transform the glasses into consumer facial recognition devices. The most disconcerting thing about this stealth feature is that it would be available to the general public, instead of being limited to just law enforcement or security agencies.
While Meta hasn’t confirmed a launch date for its smart glasses upgrade, insiders have revealed that discussions about the feature are ongoing.
Privacy issues and ethical implications
Other reports have suggested that this feature has been debated among Meta insiders for over a year due to serious privacy and security concerns.
The integration of facial recognition into wearable devices raises crucial questions about consent, data accuracy and its long-term societal impact.
While Meta is set to advance its AI-powered wearable devices, the introduction of such technology could significantly affect privacy in public spaces.
