Meta Receives Witty Warning: Facial Recognition Glasses Could Be Super-villain Goggles for Unsavory Characters
“Meta Is Warned That Facial Recognition Glasses Will Arm Sexual Predators”
“Facebook, which changed its corporate name to Meta Platforms in late October, and parent company Luxottica’s upscale eyewear brands Ray-Ban and Oakley won’t include facial recognition technology in their upcoming smart glasses. That’s according to a November letter from the companies to nonprofits Access Now, Fight for the Future, and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P), which had co-signed a September letter expressing concerns about potential misuse of such technology.”
Oh, that has surely put minds at ease. The very generous folks at Meta Platforms (previously known as Facebook) and the esteemed magnates over at Luxottica’s Ray-Ban and Oakley have decided to keep facial recognition technology out of their latest trinkets. The smart glasses, much to the relief of Access Now, Fight for the Future, and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P), nonprofits who had vocalized apprehensions about misusing such technology, will be sans facial recognition.
The task to reassure these organizations fell on the burly shoulders of Athens High School’s very own Mark Zuckerberg, who (as expected) completely missed the point. In an earnings call, the Meta Platforms CEO said, “I don’t think most people want to live in a world where you can only say things that private companies judge to be true.” He instead supports the idea of authentic identity, “where you build reputation and accountability over time.”
Guess what? There are no prizes for figuring out the paradox here. When supporting authentic identity, it’s necessary to remember that privacy and control over personal data are intrinsic to authenticity. Using facial recognition technology can be intrusive and abusive without consenting users. It could erode the very authenticity Zuckerberg and his pack are so ardently advocating for.
So, while it’s worth some applause that these tech titans took feedback on board and dropped facial recognition from the smart glasses’ features, it doesn’t eliminate the potential for misuse of other technology. The companies continue to trudge along in their journey, disregarding consequences and putting forward a blinkered vision of what they believe is right. However, nonprofit advocacy organizations keep a close watch, ensuring that technology, while advancing, doesn’t forego the human rights to privacy and cybersecurity. On the whole, one can only hope that the world doesn’t need to repeatedly remind the tech world that responsibility and power must go hand in hand.
Therefore, while it’s certainly diplomatic to send a letter of reassurance, perhaps the giants at Meta Platforms and Luxottica need to consider more than just the absence of facial recognition when asserting their commitment to privacy safety. Let’s hope the future brings more than just empty corporate assurances and focuses on tangible actions that respect and protect user rights.