Meta
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can’t sport Meta Glasses while terrorizing American citizens and immigrants.
According to a memo obtained by The New York Times, ICE told its employees that using Meta Glasses is prohibited because “the use of Meta Glasses or similar devices could unintentionally capture, record, or transmit sensitive information, potentially compromising privacy and legal protections.”
ICE agents are not the only ones impacted by this policy; all employees must adhere to it. Speaking with the NYT, a spokesman for the government agency said that it has “always” been the case that workers were barred from wearing “personally owned body-worn cameras.”
News of the memo comes as ICE agents have been spotted wearing Meta glasses, directly going against the policy. In another moment, a Border Patrol agent wore the glasses during a raid, and according to an investigation by The Independent, officers in six states were seen wearing them.
To make matters worse, ICE, which recently invested in gloves that shock individuals, is also looking to buy an official version of the wearable tech.
Per Engadget:
Budget documents reported by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein indicate ICE is hoping to equip its officers with bespoke smart glasses that have “biometric identification capabilities” by next year.
While Meta hasn’t publicly weighed in on whether its product is well-suited to law enforcement, an association with ICE isn’t likely to win over any new fans. The company is facing an intensifying backlash against the product. An unreleased facial recognition system created by Meta has increased fears about how the device could potentially be used for surveillance. The glasses’ supposedly privacy-protecting LED has also proved to be easy to bypass.
ICE definitely doesn’t need any more tools at its disposal to harass people.