Dormant facial recognition code has been discovered in the companion app for Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. The code, named 'NameTag', has been present since January 2026. This discovery comes years after Meta shut down its Facebook facial recognition system in 2021 following lawsuits.
Code named NameTag detected faces and created biometric identifiers
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses require the companion app to function. The app has been installed over 50 million times. The 'NameTag' code could detect faces, create biometric identifiers, and compare them against a local database.
Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels stated that the code reflects internal experimentation rather than a planned product launch. The company says no final decision has been made about the feature. This suggests the feature may be activated in the future, but it remains unconfirmed.
Meta previously shut down its Facebook facial recognition system in 2021 after facing lawsuits. The discovery of similar code in the smart glasses app raises privacy concerns. The company has not commented on whether the code will be removed or repurposed.
The code was discovered by Wired, which reported on its existence. The feature is not currently active in the app. Meta's statement indicates the company is exploring facial recognition technology internally but has not committed to a public rollout.
Source: GIZMOCHINA
