Meta Tests Police Surveillance
Meta is testing facial recognition tech from a Pentagon supplier for its smart glasses
Meta, the technology company, is testing police surveillance technology for its smart glasses, according to a recent report. The company is finding inspiration for its smart glasses in some concerning corners, including a firm that sells surveillance tools to the US government and police. Meta has licensed advanced facial recognition software from Rank One Computing, a Denver-based firm that generates roughly 80% of its revenue from high-level government contracts, including police departments and elite military divisions.
The partnership between Meta and Rank One Computing suggests a deliberate effort to leverage cutting-edge, proven technologies. The integration of facial recognition could mark a significant leap forward in making these devices more intuitive and responsive, offering a more personalized and potentially more secure interaction with the digital world. However, this development has raised concerns about the potential misuse of facial recognition technology. Some cities, including San Francisco and Oakland, have banned government use of facial recognition entirely, citing concerns about privacy and surveillance.
In related news, Clearview AI, a company that provides facial recognition technology to law enforcement agencies, signed a one-year $225,000 contract with United States Customs and Border Protection in February 2026. This contract has raised concerns about the growing use of facial recognition technology by government agencies. Meanwhile, in the UK, the government has announced its intention to implement facial recognition and digital ID to access social media, with Keir Starmer announcing the plan at a press conference on June 15, 2026. The plan aims to ban social media access to under-16s from early next year.
The testing of police surveillance technology by Meta has sparked controversy, with some critics arguing that the company is secretly testing military-grade facial recognition tech. According to a report by Wired, Meta is testing software built by a firm that sells surveillance tech to the US government and police. The report states that Meta secretly licensed advanced facial recognition software to prototype features for its Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. This development has raised concerns about the potential impact on civil liberties and the growing use of surveillance technology by corporations and government agencies.
The use of facial recognition technology is becoming increasingly widespread, with many companies offering free face search tools for online facial recognition. However, the use of this technology has raised concerns about privacy and surveillance. As the use of facial recognition technology continues to grow, it is likely that concerns about its impact on civil liberties will also continue to grow. The testing of police surveillance technology by Meta is just one example of the growing use of this technology, and it remains to be seen how this will develop in the future.
As I consider Meta's testing of police surveillance, I firmly believe that this trend is a threat to our civil liberties. If Meta continues down this path without checks, I fear we will lose what's left of our privacy. My thesis is that the unchecked expansion of police surveillance enabled by tech companies like Meta will have disastrous consequences for our society. If nothing changes, the winners will be authoritarian governments and corporate interests, while the losers will be ordinary citizens who value their freedom and autonomy. We must take a stand against this erosion of our rights before it's too late.
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Disclosure: NewsAnarchist uses AI-assisted reporting with web search. Always verify primary sources linked above.
This article is produced by NewsAnarchist's AI reporting system, not a human staff reporter. It's built from the primary source cited above (a FOIA release, an agency's own policy or procurement document, court filings from surveillance litigation, or the wire reporting linked in the body) and reports what that source states, attributed to it — it does not allege intent behind a surveillance program beyond what the record shows. Part of our Surveillance State hub. Found an error? Tell us.