Meta* Suspends Employee Data Collection After Confidential Information Leak
Photo: CNET
Quick answer
Meta paused its employee data collection program for AI training after a leak of private information, including messages and internal documents.
Meta* has temporarily suspended its Model Capability Initiative tool, which collected data on employee activities on work devices. Launched in April, the program faced sharp criticism from staff and was paused after an incident where confidential information—including personal messages and internal documents—became accessible to a wide group of employees.
According to internal sources, the tool tracked activity in applications such as Gmail, Google Chat, and the corporate AI assistant Metamate, while also capturing screenshots. Over 1,600 employees signed a petition demanding an end to data collection, citing privacy violations and lack of consent for monitoring.
In an official statement, a Meta* representative stated that the program was developed with data protection measures in place, but due to potential risks, its operation has been suspended pending an investigation. The company has not confirmed any unauthorized access to the data.
Meta* is heavily investing in AI development, allocating at least $135 billion this year. Leadership, including Mark Zuckerberg, previously argued that monitoring employee activities helps train models based on real workflows. However, digital rights experts criticize such practices, emphasizing the need for legislative regulation of employee data protection.
* Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other Meta services are owned by Meta Platforms Inc., whose activities are recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation.
Common questions
- Why did Meta start tracking employee data?
- The company used the collected data to train its artificial intelligence models. Leadership believed monitoring employee activities would help improve algorithms.
- What types of data were collected from Meta employees?
- The tool recorded keystrokes, mouse movements, screenshots, and activity in corporate applications, including Gmail, Google Chat, and the internal AI assistant Metamate.
- What was the outcome of the data leak incident?
- Meta temporarily suspended the program and launched an internal investigation. While there is no confirmation of misuse, the tool remains disabled indefinitely.
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