Meta Ray-Bans have been under a lot of public scrutiny following the revelation of the facial recognition function Meta has been implementing in its smart glasses. Consumers are rightly wary of products that could transform wearable technology into everyday monitoring tools.
In early June, an investigation by Wired revealed how Meta had quietly embedded facial recognition software code under the internal name “NameTag.” The feature, if released, would have allowed Meta’s smart glasses to biometrically identify anyone watching — in real time, without consent — using a stored digital faceprint. The code, which was never made available to users, was removed a day later.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Threat Lab confirmed the initial findings and reported that Meta has reversed course following public feedback. But the privacy nonprofit noted that Meta removing the code “does not equate to a permanent change of heart.”
Now, just a week after Meta released the code, the company is facing new questions about its facial recognition software prototype. A new investigation by Wired has found that Meta has partnered with Rank One Computing, a supplier to the US military and law enforcement agencies, for its biometric identification technology. Wired said it obtained a software license that ties the Pentagon vendor to the Meta AI operating system, the same one used for Meta’s smart glasses products.
The license agreement will authorize Meta to use military-grade Rank One facial recognition and “live detection,” which verifies that someone is seeing a live person or a mask or image. This business relationship, as Wired points out, “shows how wide the line has become between surveillance technology sold to law enforcement and the military and consumer products sold to everyone.”
According to Wired, Rank One Computing declined to comment on the findings. The Denver-based company, which derives about 80% of its revenue from government clients, did not respond to CNET’s request for comment.
A Meta spokesperson told CNET that it hasn’t made final decisions on the facial recognition software for Meta Glasses, but wouldn’t confirm whether the tech giant is licensing the military-grade engine for its glasses. In an emailed statement, Meta noted: “Nothing has been sent to consumers and no final decision has been made about what to do here, if anything. If we decide to release something, we will take a thoughtful approach and do it with full transparency.”
Meta face recognition controversies
In our previous story, CNET noted a dangerous example when Meta glasses store biometric facial data in an embedded database that can compare new faceprints with existing ones. At the time, a Meta spokesperson responded that the company “does not build a middle-of-the-road database.”
In late 2021, under public pressure, Meta announced plans to shut down its efforts to build a facial recognition database on the Facebook platform. At the time, the company said, about 600 million users worldwide had already signed in to the software, which can recognize faces in photos and videos to tag people on the social media site. Meta later settled a 2024 lawsuit filed by the state of Texas over the collection of facial recognition data for $1.4 billion.
Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that Meta is developing software for its smart glasses to target people, possibly using data from social media, such as Facebook and Instagram. The article cited an internal memo from Meta that said political turmoil in the US would distract critics from the feature’s release.
Privacy groups like the EFF have long pointed out the dangers of facial recognition technology, as biometric-enabled public surveillance greatly reduces anonymity. Facial recognition technology also has a disproportionately negative impact on marginalized groups, as it can track movements, misrepresent people of color and lead to wrongful arrests. Businesses and governments can misuse facial recognition without permission, creating a risk of identity theft and cyber security.