Meta is reportedly reviving one of its most controversial technologies for its wearable lineup. According to internal documents and reports on February 13, 2026, the company is developing a facial recognition feature internally codenamed “Name Tag” for its Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses.
This move marks a major turnaround from 2021, when Meta (then Facebook) shut down its photo-tagging facial recognition system due to intense privacy and legal pressure.
How “Name Tag” Works
The feature is designed to transform the glasses into a real-time information layer for the user’s social life. Instead of identifying every random stranger, Meta is reportedly testing a more “walled” approach to mitigate privacy backlash.
- Social Graph Recognition: The glasses could identify people you are already connected with on Facebook or Instagram.
- Public Profile Lookup: Meta is exploring allowing the glasses to identify individuals who have public accounts on Meta platforms, even if you don’t know them personally.
- AI Integration: Once a face is recognized, Meta AI would provide relevant context—such as the person’s name, mutual friends, or recent public posts—directly via the glasses’ audio or a paired app.
Strategic Timing and the “Political Window”
Perhaps the most striking detail from the leaked Reality Labs memos is the company’s “launch strategy.” Meta executives reportedly noted that the current dynamic political environment in the U.S. (referring to early 2026) might be the perfect time to launch.
“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.” — Internal Meta Memo.
Privacy Safeguards and Resistance
To address the “creeper” factor, Meta is reportedly maintaining and potentially enhancing physical safeguards:
- The Privacy LED: The small white LED that lights up during recording is expected to stay, and Meta has experimented with “super-sensing” features that would keep this light on whenever the camera is active.
- Anti-Tamper Tech: The camera is designed to disable itself if the LED light is covered by tape or paint.
- Opt-Out Demands: Privacy groups like the EFF and EPIC have already sent letters to the FTC on February 13, urging a block on the feature. They argue it’s impossible to get consent from “bystanders” who aren’t even on Meta’s platforms.
2026: The Year of the Glass
Meta’s push follows a massive sales year for its smart glasses, with partner EssilorLuxottica reporting over 7 million units sold in 2025. With Apple and Samsung expected to launch rival products later this year, Meta sees facial recognition as the “killer app” that separates its hardware from a standard pair of Ray-Bans.
