Wired uncovered source code for a facial‑recognition tool hidden inside Meta’s AI app. The module, labeled “NameTag,” is designed to run on the company’s upcoming smart glasses, capturing faces and later alerting the wearer when a known individual appears. Although the code is present, it is not active or exposed to users for developers today.

A security researcher confirms no biometric data streams to Meta’s servers, but earlier builds of the app displayed a “Connections” menu hinting at the feature. Anonymous sources told the New York Times the tool was dubbed “Name Tag” and considered for release during a “dynamic political environment,” hoping activist scrutiny would be diverted. The capability could aid visually impaired users, yet it raises privacy concerns.

Meta previously retired facial recognition on Facebook in 2021 after privacy backlash, only to reintroduce it in 2024 as a scam‑ad safety measure. The presence of NameTag code shows the company still experiments with biometric ID in its Ray‑Ban and Oakley glasses prototypes, but no timeline suggests it will ship. Regulators and advocacy groups will likely scrutinize any rollout.