Meta is preparing to bring facial recognition back to its consumer hardware. According to a report published by The New York Times on February 13, 2026, the company plans to add a facial recognition feature, internally codenamed “Name Tag”, to its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses as early as this year.
The feature would allow wearers to look at someone and have Meta’s AI assistant identify the person and surface information about them, such as their name, mutual connections, or public details from Meta platforms.
Key Details from the Report
- The system is designed to recognize people the wearer already knows (e.g., Facebook or Instagram friends) or individuals who have public accounts on Meta platforms.
- It is not intended to be a universal facial recognition tool that can identify strangers.
- The glasses would use the built-in cameras and Meta’s on-device AI to perform the recognition in real time.
- Meta previously considered adding facial recognition to the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses in 2021 but ultimately dropped the idea due to technical challenges and strong ethical/privacy concerns.
Why Now?
Internal documents reviewed by the Times suggest Meta believes the current political climate in the U.S. (with many civil society groups focused on other issues) provides a more favorable environment to launch the controversial feature with less immediate backlash.
Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly pushing for the feature to make the AI assistant in the glasses significantly more useful and to help Meta’s wearable devices stand out against upcoming competition from companies like OpenAI.
Privacy and Ethical Concerns
The move is expected to reignite debates around privacy and surveillance. Privacy advocates have already begun criticizing the plan, arguing that even a limited version of facial recognition in everyday wearable devices could lead to widespread misuse, stalking, or unwanted identification in public spaces.
Meta has not yet made an official public statement confirming the plans.
This would mark Meta’s return to facial recognition technology after the company shut down its facial recognition system on Facebook in 2021, citing “many concerns” about the technology.
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are currently Meta’s most successful consumer hardware product, with strong sales reported throughout 2025. Adding advanced AI capabilities like real-time facial recognition could significantly boost their appeal, and controversy.
