Texas AG Investigates Meta Glasses Over Biometric Privacy Risks
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Meta Glasses’ biometric data practices.
Why it matters: Legal teams face heightened pressure as regulators scrutinize how smart devices collect and use biometric data. The probe signals expanding enforcement risks and the need to track evolving privacy requirements impacting consumer tech.
- Texas AG launched the probe on May 20, 2026, targeting Meta Glasses’ privacy representations.
- Meta Glasses can continuously process video in 'always enabled' mode, raising data use questions.
- The device’s LED recording indicator may be concealed, adding risk around undisclosed data capture.
- Past incidents show subcontractor access to sensitive user video, intensifying privacy concerns.
- Texas previously secured a $1.4B settlement with Meta over unauthorized facial recognition.
The Texas Attorney General’s investigation into Meta’s smart glasses revives regulatory scrutiny of how wearable tech handles biometric data. The May 20, 2026 action follows prior landmark action against Meta for similar issues.
- Meta Glasses are equipped with audio and video capture tools and feature an 'always enabled' mode, which allows for ongoing video data processing by Meta’s AI systems.
- A small LED is intended to alert bystanders to recording, but it can be concealed and does not activate during continuous data processing, raising transparency concerns for those potentially filmed without their consent.
- According to reports, employees at Sama, Meta's Kenyan subcontractor, have accessed private video data, including coverage of intimate user moments. This underscores the risks of third-party handling of sensitive content.
- The investigation is partly prompted by Meta’s reported plans for a 'Name Tag' feature, allowing the glasses to collect individuals’ facial geometry data, further fueling privacy anxieties.
The renewed interest comes on the heels of a $1.4 billion settlement between Texas and Meta in July 2024 over the social media giant’s unlawful use of facial recognition technology. Attorney General Ken Paxton reinforced his office’s commitment to enforcing Texans’ privacy, stating: "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."
For legal departments, the case highlights regulatory momentum around biometric privacy and the need to monitor enforcement trends involving emerging technologies.
By the numbers:
- $1.4 billion — Meta’s 2024 facial recognition settlement with Texas
- 'Always enabled' — Mode that allows Meta Glasses to process video data continuously
- Multiple reports — Subcontractor Sama employees accessed private, sensitive user video