Five years after dismantling its controversial facial recognition system on Facebook, Meta Platforms Inc. is preparing to reintroduce the technology through a new medium: the eyes of its users.
Internal documents reveal that the tech giant is developing a feature dubbed Name Tag for its popular Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, according to published reports. The tool would utilize the device’s built-in cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) assistant to identify individuals in real-time, potentially marking a pivotal, and polarizing, shift in wearable technology.
In 2021, Meta shuttered its photo-tagging facial recognition system, citing a need to balance innovation with growing privacy concerns. However, the commercial success of its partnership with EssilorLuxottica — boasting over 7 million units sold last year — has reignited the company’s ambitions.
As competition from rivals like OpenAI intensifies, Meta views “super sensing” capabilities as a key differentiator. Unlike a universal search engine, the proposed Name Tag feature would reportedly be limited to identifying people already connected to the wearer via Meta’s platforms or those with public profiles.
The internal rollout strategy suggests Meta is acutely aware of potential backlash. Memos from Meta’s Reality Labs indicate a plan to first introduce the feature at conferences for the blind or low-vision communities, highlighting the technology’s accessibility benefits.
However, the documents also reveal a more calculated approach to public relations. One internal update suggested launching the feature during “a dynamic political environment” where civil rights groups might be too preoccupied with other global events to mount a concentrated opposition.
Advocacy groups remain unconvinced. A spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that such technology poses a “uniquely dire threat to practical anonymity,” arguing that embedding these tools into consumer wearables could normalize constant surveillance in everyday life.
To mitigate risks, Meta is exploring several safeguards: restricted databases that limit identification to existing friends or followers; visual signaling to enhance the glasses’ external LED light to alert others when recognition is active; and contextual AI contextual reminders rather than just identification.
“We are still thinking through options and will take a thoughtful approach,” a Meta spokesperson said, emphasizing that the feature is not yet a “done deal.”
The company remains in the shadow of past privacy settlements with regulators, and any wide-scale deployment will likely face intense scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission and international data protection authorities. As AI wearables move toward the mainstream, Meta’s Name Tag may become the ultimate test of whether consumers are willing to trade their public anonymity for the convenience of an augmented reality.
