Meta AI Glasses Face Texas Investigation Over Privacy Concerns and Facial Recognition

Texas AG investigates Meta over AI glasses, citing privacy concerns

Matthew Ablon is a digital content producer for CBS Texas and the South region. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office is taking a closer look at Meta's AI-powered smart glasses, saying the new devices could pose privacy risks to Texans. In a news release shared Wednesday, Paxton notes that Meta Glasses are able to use cameras, speakers, and other components to capture data, including video and audio recordings and peoples' facial geometry. While the glasses do have a small LED indicator set to activate when they're recording, Paxton said it's easily hidden and not active when the glasses are in an "always enabled" mode. Paxton also said that data annotators working at Sama - a subcontractor that works for Meta - are able to access private information and moments, such as bathroom visits and other intimate moments. Paxton said one Sama employee said faces are not always blurred automatically, even though others have claimed faces are always blurred. His office also cited recent reports that Meta plans to bring facial recognition to the eyewear. To note, Paxton said his office secured a $1.4 billion settlement with the tech giant for facial recognition used on social media platform Facebook, which Meta owns along with Instagram, Threads, Messenger and WhatsApp. "I will continue to relentlessly stand up to any company that threatens the privacy and safety of Texans," Paxton said in a statement. "Meta's glasses raise serious concerns, and my office will thoroughly investigate these devices to ensure that no individual is being unlawfully recorded, tracked, or subjected to the unauthorized collection of their data." CBS News Texas has reached out to Meta for comment. Privacy concerns over tech-powered eyewear have been raised in the past. In 2013, Google launched Google Glass, which similarly came equipped with a camera for recording video, taking photos and other functions. While Google Glass saw limited appeal with a hefty price tag and limited applications, similar privacy concerns were raised early in the product's lifecycle. Tech news outlet CNET notes that Google, in 2014, reminded early testers to be mindful of others' privacy, with former columnist Chris Matyszczyk referencing a crude nickname coined for Glass users who didn't abide that call. The tech giant built up by Internet search is getting back into the smart eyewear game itself; during its I/O 2026 conference on Tuesday, Google shared a sneak peak of two styles designed by Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Google said its strategy is twofold, with audio-only glasses launching first to be followed by glasses with small displays that show up inside the lenses. Both will feature Gemini AI capabilities, running on the Android XR platform co-developed with Samsung and Qualcomm. Meta already offers similar eyewear. One pair of Meta Ray-Bans that features a small display and a wrist-worn device for gesture tracking starts at $799, while others made by both Ray-Ban and Oakley without displays usually retail for a starting price of about $399.

Meta faces Texas privacy probe over smart glasses By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into Meta's AI-enabled smart glasses on Wednesday over privacy concerns related to facial data collection and unauthorized recordings. The investigation centers on Meta AI Glasses, which are equipped with cameras, speakers, and communication tools that allow users to capture and share audio and video. According to Paxton's office, the glasses feature an "always enabled" mode that continuously processes video data for Meta AI products. While the glasses include a small LED indicator designed to activate during audio and video recording, the indicator can be easily hidden and does not activate during the always-enabled mode. Paxton issued a Civil Investigative Demand to Meta to examine whether the company misrepresented its use of private consumer data in violation of Texas law. The investigation follows reports that employees at Sama, Meta's Kenya-based subcontractor, have accessed private user information. Data annotators at Sama claimed they viewed video material showing users' private moments, including bathroom visits. One employee noted that while faces in annotated data are supposed to be automatically blurred, this does not always occur. The New York Times reported that Meta plans to introduce facial recognition technology to the glasses through a feature internally code-named "Name Tag," which would enable Meta to collect facial geometry from individuals captured by the glasses' built-in cameras. In July 2024, Paxton secured a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over the company's unlawful use of facial recognition technology in its application. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.