Meta is currently assessing the implementation of face-recognition technology developed by Rank One Computing, a company known for supplying surveillance tools to law enforcement and military agencies in the United States. This initiative aims to integrate the technology into Meta’s smart glasses, as confirmed by internal sources.
The association between Meta and Rank One is detailed in a software license recently obtained by WIRED, which relates to a beta version of the Meta AI application that powers Meta’s Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. Rank One Computing, based in Denver, generates approximately 80% of its income from government contracts and has previously sold its facial recognition systems to agencies such as the US Marshals Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The latter employs these systems for identity verification during the transport of individuals in custody. Remarkably, Rank One has developed long-range facial recognition capable of identifying individuals from up to a kilometer away, pointing to the advanced capabilities of their technology.
This licensing agreement marks the first documented partnership between Meta and Rank One, revealing the potential direction Meta may take regarding facial recognition for a broader consumer audience. The situation highlights an increasingly blurred boundary between surveillance technologies derived from government applications and consumer-oriented products.
The licensed software includes Rank One’s facial recognition paired with liveness detection, which verifies that the input is from a human rather than a photograph or mask. This technology can handle up to 10 million facial templates. Recent code reviews indicated that components from Rank One’s software were integrated into a version of the Meta app distributed to millions of users, although these features were not operational. Meta reportedly removed these functionalities from the app entirely in early June, following public scrutiny of an internal facial recognition system dubbed NameTag.
Despite inquiries, Meta has remained silent regarding the specifics of its agreement with Rank One, including its inception, purpose, and whether the relationship continues. Such secrecy raises concerns about the transparency and ethical implications of the technologies being integrated into everyday consumer gadgets.
Rank One Computing was established in 2015 by engineers previously involved in facial recognition at the nonprofit research institute Noblis, which included working with U.S. intelligence agencies. The firm went public earlier this year, further solidifying its presence in the tech industry.
Leadership at Rank One comprises individuals with extensive backgrounds in law enforcement and intelligence, including its CEO, B. Scott Swann, who previously managed the FBI’s biometric databases. The board includes several notable figures from intelligence and defense sectors, underscoring the company’s strong affiliations with government entities.
As businesses consider adopting similar technologies, they must remain aware of associated cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Potential tactics related to the MITRE ATT&CK framework relevant to this situation could include initial access, if unauthorized access to the technology occurred, or privilege escalation if the system’s features were exploited. The evolution of these technologies demands vigilance from business owners as they navigate the intersection of innovation and security.