Meta tracked employee keystrokes
- CNBC reports Meta sought software to log employee clicks, mouse movements and keystrokes on sites like Google and LinkedIn. (www.cnbc.com) - Reports say staff protested the surveillance software, framing it as invasive data collection for AI training. (theregister.com) - Spanish outlets similarly reported plans to capture office activity to train agents that could replicate employee tasks. (larazon.es)
Meta is installing software on U.S. employees’ work computers to record keystrokes, mouse movements and screenshots for artificial intelligence training. (reuters.com) The tool is called Model Capability Initiative, or MCI, and Reuters reported on April 21 that it will run on work-related apps and websites to capture how employees complete tasks on a computer. (reuters.com) CNBC reported on April 22 that Meta’s tracking list includes Google, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, GitHub, Slack and Atlassian, plus Meta properties such as Threads and Manus. (cnbc.com) Meta said the point is to train software agents that can use websites and workplace tools the way a person does, by clicking buttons, moving through menus and filling in forms. A company spokesperson told CNBC that the models need “real examples” of computer use. (cnbc.com) The project sits inside Mark Zuckerberg’s larger push to catch up in generative artificial intelligence after rivals such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google moved ahead in consumer and workplace agents. CNBC said the data-gathering effort is tied to Meta Superintelligence Labs, the unit led by Alexandr Wang. (cnbc.com) Internal reaction was immediate. The Register, citing Reuters and other reporting on staff discussions, said employees objected to the monitoring and asked how to opt out after learning the software could also take periodic screenshots. (theregister.com) Reuters reported the software is limited to work-related apps and URLs, and other coverage of the internal memos said Meta told employees the data would not be used for performance reviews. (reuters.com) (technobezz.com) Spanish outlet La Razón described the plan as using employees’ daily office activity as training material so Meta’s agents can learn to do the same work faster. That framing sharpened employee fears that the company was asking staff to help build tools that could absorb parts of their jobs. (larazon.es) Meta confirmed the project to CNBC but did not comment there on the full list of sites being monitored. The company has not announced any rollback, so the story now turns on whether employees get limits, exemptions or a real way to refuse the tracking. (cnbc.com)
