Meta Added Face-Recognition Code for Its Smart Glasses to Phones (www.wired.com)

Meta has quietly incorporated face-recognition technology, dubbed "NameTag," into its AI app, which has been distributed to millions of users over recent updates. This feature, designed to identify individuals seen through the cameras of smart glasses, alerts wearers when it recognizes someone. Though not yet activated, NameTag incorporates core functionality that allows it to draw biometric signatures from faces and compare them against a user-specific database. This move raises significant concerns within the AI/ML community and among privacy advocates, especially given Meta's previous decision to phase out face recognition following severe backlash and legal challenges. The development of NameTag signals Meta's potential return to controversial face-recognition practices, which the company had seemingly abandoned. The technology includes three AI models for face detection, cropping, and encoding into biometric data, all residing on users' devices. Critics argue that by embedding such capabilities into mass-market wearables, Meta may set troubling societal norms around surveillance. With the risks associated with misuse of this technology, including potential harassment and privacy violations, the AI community is closely observing Meta's next steps as the company insists it will proceed with caution and transparency.