Meta has removed its face-recognition technology, identified as ‘NameTag,’ from the companion app for its smart glasses following a report by WIRED. This feature, designed to identify individuals captured by the glasses’ camera, was intended to alert users upon recognition, contributing to privacy concerns.
Timeline of Events
In 2021, Meta announced plans to shut down Facebook’s facial recognition system, deleting over a billion stored faceprints. However, reports in early 2026 revealed that code for the ‘NameTag’ feature began appearing in updates to the Meta AI app. On June 4, 2026, WIRED published an analysis uncovering the embedded technology, raising alarms about potential privacy violations.
Company Response and Consumer Concern
In response to the report, a Meta spokesperson assured that no facial recognition features had been distributed to consumers and that no decision had been made about future implementation. Despite the code being present in an app downloaded over 50 million times, the company maintains that there are no current plans to activate facial recognition functionalities.