Key point: Meta has built-in but deactivated code for facial recognition functionality in Smart Glasses, raising compliance questions under the EU AI Act.
Meta has deposited inactive code in its AI app that would enable Smart Glasses to perform facial recognition. This raises regulatory concerns in the context of the EU AI Act.
Security researchers have identified code in the Meta AI app that would enable facial recognition on Smart Glasses. The code is currently inactive but can technically be activated.
Civil rights advocates and data protection experts have already warned of the implications of such a feature: real-time facial recognition in wearable devices with camera functionality would create massive data protection risks and could amount to unconscious mass surveillance. For Chief Data Officers and compliance officers, the question arises of whether and how the EU AI Act regulates or limits such functionalities.
The provision of facial recognition code, even in inactive form, demonstrates technical preparation for features whose activation is likely to trigger significant controversy. Companies must clarify in this context what governance processes are required for potentially high-risk AI functions and how transparent communication with supervisory authorities can be ensured.
Source: www.golem.de · Published June 5, 2026
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