After protests: Meta loosens employee tracking for AI training

Meta is adjusting its tracking software, which records mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, and occasionally screen captures on the work computers of US employees for AI training. In a memo, the company announces additional data protection measures, expands exceptions, and allows employees to pause data collection on their computers for 30 minutes. The changes follow weeks of internal resistance.

According to the memo, the 30-minute pause is intended to allow employees to “catch up on something personal.” After that, data collection will automatically resume.

Meta is also expanding existing exceptions: In the future, employees who process sensitive content, fear bandwidth problems when working from home, or have limited access to power while in field service will be able to apply for an exception, reports The Information. Previously, employees had complained about high data and battery consumption.

In the memo, Meta also refers to additional data protection measures; for example, activities will be summarized instead of recording exactly entered words. According to the company, only a few engineers have access to the raw data due to strict access controls.

USA and EU with different legal situations

Meta introduced the tracking software, called “Model Capability Initiative” (MCI), in April. At the time, Meta assured that the collected data would not be used for employee monitoring or performance evaluation but rather to train agentic AI models in handling computers. This includes, for example, the use of keyboard shortcuts or navigation through dropdown menus. The initiative is part of a comprehensive AI overhaul of the company.

Not all employees accepted the tracking without protest. Some repeatedly ignored the required consent, while others found ways to disable the program via device settings. The protest also became publicly visible: employees distributed flyers against the software at several US locations and promoted an online petition.

While such tracking would face significant legal hurdles in Germany and the EU, there are no comparable federal restrictions on employee monitoring in the USA. However, some states stipulate that employees must be informed about such measures.

(olb)