Meta is reportedly preparing to introduce facial recognition capabilities to its smart glasses as early as this year. Internally referred to as “Name Tag,” this feature would enable wearers to identify individuals and access details about them using Meta’s AI assistant. However, the company’s plans remain subject to change.

The tech giant has been carefully weighing the release of this feature since early last year, acknowledging that it involves significant “safety and privacy risks.” An internal memo reveals that Meta initially intended to debut Name Tag at a conference for the visually impaired before a broader public rollout, but ultimately decided against it.

Interestingly, the company reportedly viewed the politically charged climate in the United States as an opportune moment to launch the feature. One document stated, “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.”

Meta had previously explored adding facial recognition to the first version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2021, but abandoned the idea due to technical hurdles and ethical considerations. According to reports, the company has now revived these plans, influenced by the Trump administration’s closer ties to big tech and the unexpected commercial success of its smart glasses.