Meta is scaling back its plan to collect employee mouse movements, keystrokes, and other actions for AI training data, following weeks of staff pushback. In an internal memo Tuesday, Vice President Stephane Kasriel announced new controls allowing employees to pause data collection for up to 30 minutes and request exemptions from the initiative.
The team also introduced optimizations to reduce the impact on computer battery life after complaints that the software caused home internet usage to spike. Kasriel acknowledged concerns about personal data on work devices and the desire for more control over when capturing happens.
Meta initially installed the tracking software on U.S.-based employees' computers last month as part of a broader effort to build AI agents that can autonomously perform work tasks. The launch sparked backlash, with staff likening Meta to an “Employee Data Extraction Factory.”