Code Reveals Meta Smart Glasses Can Use 'Faceprint' Tracking, Raising Privacy Alarms

Investigation shows Meta embedded facial-recognition code (internal name “NameTag”) into its Meta AI companion app, confirmed by Wired and the EFF. The feature, not yet activated, would create and compare biometric “faceprints” on users’ phones and could be updated from Meta, raising fresh privacy, legal and reputational risks for the company. Meta says the code reflects exploration and that it is not building a central face database, but the revelation revives past legal exposure (including a $650M Facebook faceprint settlement) and could spur regulatory scrutiny, consumer backlash, and slower adoption of Meta’s smart-glasses hardware. Competition from Google and Apple in AR/AI glasses compounds strategic pressures. Overall, the story heightens downside risk to Meta’s brand and product rollouts and could affect investor sentiment toward META.OQ until privacy guardrails and regulatory responses are clarified.