Meta to Introduce Facial Recognition in Smart Glasses

Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, is reportedly considering integrating facial recognition technology into its smart glasses. This potential development has sparked concerns about privacy and security, as highlighted by a recent report.

The feature, referred to as "Name Tag," would allow users of the smart glasses to receive identifying information about the people they are looking at. According to the New York Times, this could be a game-changer in how individuals interact with each other in real-time.

However, an internal memo obtained by the newspaper acknowledges that the technology poses "safety and privacy risks." Despite these concerns, Meta seems to see an opportunity in launching such a product during a period of political unrest in the United States.

The memo states, “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.” This suggests that Meta may be strategically timing the release of the product to minimize backlash.

In recent months, facial recognition technology has been used by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track not only suspected undocumented migrants but also American citizens participating in protests against ICE. This has raised significant ethical and legal questions about the use of such technology.

A Meta spokesperson told The Independent that the company is still evaluating the technology and considering its options. In a statement, the company emphasized its commitment to creating products that help millions of people connect and enrich their lives.

“We’re building products that help millions of people connect and enrich their lives,” the statement said. “While we frequently hear about the interest in this type of feature — and some products already exist in the market — we’re still thinking through options and will take a thoughtful approach if and before we roll anything out.”

This move comes five years after Facebook removed facial recognition from its site, aiming to find the “right balance” of privacy and legality on the social network.

Since then, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s White House, which has been supportive of big-tech companies and less regulatory oversight. This alignment has raised questions about the company's priorities and values.

Meta launched its first Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2021, but at the time, they were limited to taking photos and recording videos. Last September, the CEO and Facebook founder unveiled new glasses powered by AI. These glasses have proven to be a popular product, selling approximately seven million pairs in the past year.

According to three people involved in making the glasses who spoke to The Times, the facial recognition component would set Meta’s product apart from smart glasses being developed by competitors like Open-AI.

However, Nathan Freed Wessler of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that facial recognition is “ripe for abuse.” He stated, “Face recognition technology on the streets of America poses a uniquely dire threat to the practical anonymity we all rely on.”

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