Meta Halts Employee Tracking After Internal Data Leak
▼ Summary
– Meta paused its employee tracking program, the Model Compatibility Initiative (MCI), after an internal security issue exposed potentially sensitive data to other workers.
– The MCI tool, rolled out in April to US employees, collects computer inputs like mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, and screen content, sparking privacy and security concerns.
– Employees initially could not opt out of MCI, but limited opt-out options were added after worker protests.
– A Meta engineer issued a security notice on Monday stating that MCI databases were exposed to anyone inside the company, confirming employee fears.
– Meta leadership had defended MCI as necessary for training AI, but after critical internal feedback, the company paused the program to investigate.
Meta has temporarily suspended a controversial employee surveillance program after an internal data breach exposed potentially sensitive information collected through the initiative to other staff members.
“We have carefully designed this program with privacy safeguards and while we have no indication at any time that any data was improperly accessed by Meta employees, we’re pausing it while we investigate,” says company spokesperson Tracy Clayton.
The Model Compatibility Initiative (MCI) tool was introduced to US employees in April. According to workers who have been petitioning against it over privacy, security, and personal liberty concerns, the tool “collects computer inputs such as mouse movements, click locations and keystrokes, as well as screen content.” When MCI first launched, employees couldn’t opt out, though that changed slightly after protests erupted.
Meta executives have consistently defended the data-gathering project, arguing it was essential for training AI systems to operate computer software the way humans do. They claimed employees were the best examples for the artificial intelligence to learn from.
On Monday, a Meta engineer issued an internal security notice stating that databases filled with information gathered by MCI had been exposed to anyone inside the company. A former employee actively involved in opposing MCI describes the lapse as “a mess” and one that employees had anticipated. “When workers raised concerns, leadership doubled down and failed to acknowledge the risks workers raised about the safety and privacy of worker and customer data,” the person says. “Leadership has clearly created an authoritarian environment where workers are no longer respected or heard.”
After critical comments flooded internal forums on Monday expressing frustration about the security issue, Meta surprised some of its staff by pausing MCI entirely. It informed WIRED about the development before announcing it to employees, according to two people familiar with the matter.
(Source: Wired)
