VICTORY: Meta Strips Facial Recognition Code From Smart Glasses App After Public Outcry
After researchers and EFF's Threat Lab found hidden facial recognition code in Meta's smart glasses companion app — code capable of identifying strangers in public from a photo — Meta removed it following public backlash. The reversal came quietly, matching how the code was originally introduced.
Why this matters: This is what unannounced feature creep looks like. Meta slipped code into an app on millions of phones that could turn a photo of a stranger into a biometric ID. No announcement, no consent, no opt-in. Public pressure forced a rollback this time. But the fact that it got this far, verified only because outside researchers dug through the app, shows how little visibility people have into what the tools on their phones are actually doing.
Who should care: Cybersecurity · Privacy officers · Administrators · General readers · AI governance · Policy
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