- Meta’s Model Capability Initiative installs mouse tracking software on enterprise-issued PCs
- User activity is monitored to train future AI models to autonomously control computers
- Workers fear that future AI systems could replace human jobs
Employees at Meta have begun protesting the company’s rollout of mouse-tracking software being deployed on work devices — but it’s not just for privacy reasons.
Facebook’s parent company is reportedly installing software that monitors mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, menu and dropdown navigation and even what’s on users’ screens, all of which is said to help train AI agents to perform real-world computing tasks more naturally.
As a result, workers are now fighting back against this move over concerns that they are effectively helping to train AI systems that could eventually replace members of the workforce.
Now according to Pakinomistposters appear across Meta’s offices asking ‘Don’t you want to work at the Employee Data Extraction Factory?’.
“If we’re building agents to help people do everyday tasks using computers, our models need real examples of how people actually use them,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone explained.
The Model Capability Initiative (MCI) was unveiled in an internal memo on April 22, promising an opportunity for “all Meta employees [to] help [its] models get better just by doing their day job.”
However, reports suggest there is no opt-out for employees using company-issued devices, giving them no say in the matter.
The timing of this is not insignificant – we already know that Meta is set to lay off around 10% of its workforce (or 8,000 people) this month.
“Meta’s workers are paying the price for management’s reckless and expensive gamble,” added United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW) organizer Eleanor Payne.
“As managers chase speculative AI strategies, staff face devastating job cuts, draconian surveillance and the grim reality of being forced to train the ineffective systems positioned to replace them.”
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