Meta is installing mandatory tracking software on US employees' work computers that records every mouse movement, keystroke, and click to train its AI models, sparking immediate backlash from staff who cannot opt out of the surveillance program.
The Model Capability Initiative (MCI) tool captures detailed interaction data including periodic screenshots from a pre-approved list of work applications like Gmail, GChat, and Metamate, according to internal memos obtained by Business Insider. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed in internal discussions that "there is no option to opt out of this on your work provided laptop."
"This makes me super uncomfortable. How do we opt out?"
This was the top-rated comment in response to the internal announcement, with angry-face emojis dominating employee reactions. The tracking applies only to computers, not phones, and targets US-based full-time employees and contingent workers.
Meta's stated goal is teaching AI agents how humans handle computer interfaces for tasks like using dropdown menus and keyboard shortcuts. "For agents to understand how people actually complete everyday tasks using computers. We need to train our models on real examples," read an internal memo from the Meta Superintelligence Labs team.
The company claims safeguards protect sensitive content and that collected data won't affect performance reviews. A Meta spokesperson told Fortune the models need "real examples of how people actually use them, things like mouse movements, clicking buttons, and dealing with dropdown menus."
This aggressive data collection initiative arrives as Meta prepares for significant workforce reductions. The company reportedly plans to cut up to 20% of its global workforce starting May 20, with initial layoffs affecting roughly 8,000 employees.
European Meta employees will likely avoid the tracking due to stricter privacy regulations that limit employer surveillance capabilities. The company has previously faced legal challenges in the EU over its approach to user data for AI training.
Meta's move highlights the industry's scramble for high-quality interactive training data as companies race to develop autonomous AI agents capable of performing white-collar tasks. OpenAI recently asked contractors via training firm Handshake AI to upload real work products like PowerPoints and spreadsheets after removing confidential material.
The tracking software rollout coincides with Meta's massive AI infrastructure investments. CEO Mark Zuckerberg committed up to $135 billion in capital expenditure for 2026 while acquiring a 49% stake in data-labeling firm Scale AI last year for more than $14 billion.
Legal experts note that while similar surveillance exists in gig economy platforms, its expansion into white-collar workplaces represents a shift in workplace monitoring norms.
