Meta is rolling back parts of an internal software program that collects employee mouse movements, keystrokes and other actions for artificial intelligence training, after staff raised concerns about privacy and device performance, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.
The changes were outlined on Tuesday by Stephane Kasriel, a vice president in Meta’s AI model-building Superintelligence Labs unit. Under the updated approach, employees will be able to pause data collection for up to 30 minutes at a time and can request exemptions from the program.
Kasriel also said the team made several adjustments intended to reduce the software’s drain on laptop batteries, following complaints from employees that the tool was consuming so much data it was affecting home internet usage. In the memo, he said the company still believed the privacy protections built into the system were strong and had already been reviewed through multiple internal risk checks.
Still, the company said it had heard employee concerns about personal data on work devices, battery life and the desire for more control over when the tracking is active.
A Meta spokesperson declined to comment.
The move comes only weeks after Meta said it was introducing the tracking software on computers used by U.S.-based employees. The goal was to gather data on how staff interact with their devices in order to help train the company’s AI systems. The effort is part of Meta’s broader push to develop AI agents that can complete work tasks more independently.
The initiative quickly became a source of internal tension. Workers reacted sharply to the launch, with some employees comparing the company to what they called an “Employee Data Extraction Factory.” The backlash added to the challenges around a major restructuring underway at Meta, which has been cutting jobs and reorganizing its AI efforts.
The software also raised questions beyond the company’s walls. Reuters previously reported that the tracking plan could create additional regulatory problems in the European Union, where technology companies are facing intense scrutiny over how they collect and use personal data. Because the tool captures keystrokes and mouse activity on work devices, critics have warned that it may run into privacy concerns in markets with strict data rules.
Meta’s latest changes do not end the program, but they suggest the company is trying to respond to employee unease while continuing to pursue training data for its AI ambitions. The balance reflects a broader challenge for tech companies building AI systems from workplace behavior and productivity data, especially when those systems are developed inside large organizations with growing sensitivity around surveillance and data use.
The revised policy gives workers more say over when their activity is captured, while still keeping the initiative in place for those who do not seek exemptions. Meta has not said how many employees may opt out or how the data will ultimately be used across its AI research and product development efforts.