The protest centres around Meta’s internal monitoring tool called the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), which the company reportedly began installing on employees’ work laptops in the US last month.
Employees at Meta’s offices in the United States (US) were met with an unusual sight on Tuesday as pamphlets criticising the company’s workplace monitoring software appeared across meeting rooms, vending machines and even bathroom walls.
The flyers carried the same message: “Don’t want to work at the Employee Data Extraction Factory?” According to Reuters, the pamphlets directed workers to an online petition demanding that Facebook’s owner discontinue the software programme. The material also referenced the National Labor Relations Act, which protects employees organising for improved workplace conditions.
What is mouse-tracking software?
The protest centres around Meta’s internal monitoring tool called the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), which the company reportedly began installing on employees’ work laptops in the US last month.
The software tracks mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes and periodic screenshots while workers use selected applications such as Gmail, GChat, VSCode and Meta’s in-house AI assistant, Metamate. The collected information is then used to train Meta’s AI systems to better understand how humans interact with computer interfaces, including navigating menus and using shortcuts.
However, the rollout has triggered unease among employees, particularly because it comes ahead of major layoffs. Meta is expected to reduce nearly 10 per cent of its workforce on May 20, affecting around 8,000 employees out of its total workforce of about 78,865.
Several workers reportedly believe the company is using employee activity data to train AI agents that could eventually replace human roles.
Viral internal post sparks wider debate
Concerns over privacy and AI training gained further attention after an internal post by a Meta engineer reportedly received views from nearly 20,000 employees.
“Selfishly, I don’t want my screen scraped because it feels like an invasion of my privacy,” the engineer wrote, according to Wired.
“But zooming out, I don’t want to live in a world where humans—employees or otherwise—are exploited for their training data.”
The petition opposing the software has reportedly been circulating since last Thursday. Employees in Meta offices across California and New York have also been putting up posters in common areas and bathrooms to encourage colleagues to support the campaign.
According to Wired, some posters have been removed by the company, although materials placed inside bathrooms have reportedly remained visible for longer periods.
Apart from public protests, some employees are said to be resisting the initiative more quietly by delaying the installation of the software and ignoring repeated notifications asking them to activate it.
Meta defends monitoring programme
Despite the criticism, Meta has continued to defend the programme. Company spokesperson Andy Stone said the organisation requires “real examples of how people actually use” computers in order to improve its AI systems, while also claiming that safeguards exist to protect sensitive information.
“If we’re building agents to help people complete everyday tasks using computers, our models need real examples of how people actually use them — things like mouse movements, clicking buttons, and navigating dropdown menus,” Stone was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth reportedly took a firmer stance when responding to employee questions about opting out of the system. Asked on an internal thread whether workers could refuse participation, he replied that there was no option to opt out on company-issued laptops.
About the Author
Kanishka Singharia
Kanishka Singharia is a Senior Content Producer at Mint with a passion for news, trends, and the stories shaping the digital world. She specialises in spotting viral narratives by constantly tracking social media platforms and turning them into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Her work ranges from fast-paced breaking updates to sensitive human-interest features, blending speed with clarity.
With over four years of experience in news and trend reporting, Kanishka has worked with leading organisations such as Hindustan Times and Times Now. She moves seamlessly between profiling business leaders and telling the stories of everyday people, covering national developments just as effortlessly as the memes and conversations that dominate online culture.
She also reports on real estate developments and civic challenges in major urban hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurugram. Her coverage frequently explores the struggles of startup founders, inspiring journeys of CEOs, and the experiences of candidates dealing with the complexities of visa processes.
Kanishka holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Delhi University and a diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Rarely offline, she spends much of her time scrolling through X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook in search of the next big story. When she finally logs off, she enjoys binge-watching shows and exploring cafes in pursuit of good food and better conversations.
