Meta is facing fresh privacy questions after a report revealed that its smart glasses companion app contains dormant facial recognition technology.
The feature, reportedly called “NameTag,” isn’t active right now. But according to the investigation, code related to facial recognition has been included in multiple updates to Meta’s AI app since January 2026. That’s notable because the app isn’t some niche download. It’s required for several of Meta’s smart glasses products, including the Ray-Ban Meta lineup, and has reportedly been installed more than 50 million times.
Researchers who examined the code say it could use the glasses’ camera to detect faces, create biometric identifiers, and compare them against a database stored locally on a user’s phone. If there’s a match, the wearer could receive a notification identifying that person.
Even though the feature remains switched off, the idea is enough to make privacy advocates uneasy. Facial recognition has been one of the most controversial technologies in consumer tech for years, and Meta has a complicated history with it.
Back in 2021, Meta announced that it was shutting down Facebook’s facial recognition system and deleting more than a billion stored faceprints after years of criticism, regulatory scrutiny, and legal battles. Those included a $650 million settlement in Illinois and a later $1.4 billion settlement in Texas over biometric privacy claims.
The newly discovered code suggests Meta may still be exploring similar technology, at least internally. Researchers reportedly found references to three AI models used for face detection and processing, along with traces of a user-facing feature that would help people remember individuals they’ve met. One test even generated a sample recognition notification using a face template based on philosopher Michel Foucault.
Meta, however, says people shouldn’t read too much into the discovery just yet.
Company spokesperson Ryan Daniels stated that the code reflects internal experimentation rather than a planned product launch. According to Meta, no final decision has been made, and the company isn’t building a centralized facial recognition database. The company has also said it would move carefully and be transparent if it ever decided to bring such a feature to consumers.
Still, the report is likely to reignite a debate that never really went away. Supporters of wearable AI often point to the convenience these systems can offer, while critics worry about how easily they could blur the line between useful assistance and constant surveillance.
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