Meta patents AI glasses with facial recognition; Delhi Police reported using biometric surveillance
Meta filed a patent for AI-powered smart glasses that use facial recognition and expression analysis to identify people and automatically record video highlights. Delhi Police have reportedly been using biometric surveillance tools, including smart glasses, during protests.
What happened
Meta filed a patent for AI-powered smart glasses that use facial recognition, expression analysis and information about relationships to identify people around the wearer and automatically compile video highlights without explicit recording consent.
Delhi Police have reportedly been using biometric surveillance tools, including smart glasses, during protests.
Reported impact
Critics have warned the technology could create a privacy nightmare, given its ability to identify and record individuals without their knowledge or consent.
Index analysis
Meta previously shipped facial-recognition code in a January 2026 app update without user announcement or prompt, before journalists exposed it. The patent filing describes a three-model pipeline for face detection, biometric signature creation and identity matching designed to work across phones, AR headsets and other camera devices.
Governance controls
Meta removed a facial-recognition feature called NameTag from 50 million phones after journalists exposed it in 2026.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.