A group of U.S. Democratic senators is pressing Meta over reported plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses. Senators Edward J. Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Ron Wyden warn the feature could enable real-time identification without consent, posing risks of stalking and harassment. Their inquiry follows prior reports that Meta contractors reviewed sensitive, non-consensual footage from the glasses, intensifying privacy concerns.
A group of Democratic senators is pressing Meta over reported plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses, citing concerns the technology could enable real-time identification without consent. In a letter to Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Senators Edward J. Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Ron Wyden warned the feature could expose the public to “serious risks of stalking, harassment, and targeted intimidation.”
The lawmakers stated that smart glasses could capture images of thousands of people without their knowledge or consent and instantly link those faces to personal profiles. They argued this erodes “longstanding expectations of privacy in public spaces,” noting Americans do not consent to biometric data collection simply by walking down a public street.
This scrutiny follows prior reporting that Meta contractors reviewed sensitive footage captured by Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, including intimate scenes. “In some videos, you can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed,” one contractor told reporters, raising questions about user awareness.
Privacy advocates say the combination of always-on cameras and AI systems trained on such footage amplifies the risks. “The wearer of the glasses cannot consent on behalf of all of the people they are encountering,” said John Davisson of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
The senators are seeking clarity on whether Meta intends to match captured faces to Facebook or Instagram profiles and how it would handle biometric data. Meta was asked to address the letter by April 6 and has not confirmed a timeline for any facial recognition rollout.
