Meta workers demonstrate against new mouse-tracking software just days ahead of widespread layoffs.

      Flyers characterizing the Model Capability Initiative as an "Employee Data Extraction Factory" began appearing in U.S. offices on Tuesday, accompanied by a petition and a unionization effort in the UK.

      By Tuesday afternoon, the flyers were widespread. Meta employees in various U.S. offices discovered pamphlets denouncing the company’s new mouse-tracking software while in meeting rooms, during coffee breaks at vending machines, and in restrooms. These materials urged staff to sign an online petition opposing the initiative.

      The pamphlets referenced the National Labor Relations Act and employees' rights to organize for better working conditions, as reported by Reuters.

      This protest marks the first noticeable internal resistance against the Model Capability Initiative—previously reported by TNW—which tracks mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, and screenshots in a designated set of work applications.

      Meta has stated that the data collected is intended to train AI agents on how humans use software, asserting that the tracking occurs only within specified apps and websites, rather than monitoring all computer activity.

      The characterization of the initiative has not been well-received. Meta defended its position, explaining, "If we’re developing agents to assist people with daily computer tasks, our models need real-life examples of usage, such as mouse movements, button clicks, and dropdown menu navigation." The company also mentioned that "safeguards" are in place to protect confidential company data.

      However, many employees perceive the initiative as workplace surveillance disguised as training data, perceiving it as a step towards automating their roles.

      The timing of the initiative has intensified these concerns. Meta is approaching its layoffs scheduled for May 20, which are expected to eliminate approximately 10% of its workforce—around 8,000 out of 78,865 employees—with further reductions anticipated for the latter half of 2026.

      During an earnings call in January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated that 2026 would be "the year that AI starts to dramatically change the way that we work," a statement that is now being interpreted internally as a signal regarding which job roles may be included in the tracking dataset.

      The protest organization appears to be more structured than ad hoc. The flyers direct employees to a petition, and colleagues in the UK have initiated a unionization campaign with United Tech and Allied Workers, utilizing a website at Leanin.uk.

      Although the movement is relatively small compared to Meta's overall workforce, it represents a type of internal cohesion issue that the company has managed to avoid historically. The last prominent instance of employee dissent was in 2018 over sexual harassment policies, which resulted in policy changes rather than retaliation.

      The aspect of data protection forms a second critical issue. The Model Capability Initiative, as detailed in an internal memo viewed by Reuters, operates on company-issued devices and is characterized by Meta as voluntary in theory but practically mandatory for employees using the designated applications.

      It remains uncertain whether this initiative can withstand scrutiny in jurisdictions with stronger employee privacy laws; the EU's current regulations on workplace surveillance require greater proportionality and worker consent than current U.S. federal laws.

      Meta has faced challenges with its earlier internal issues regarding AI training data. Last month, a breach at its data-labeling vendor Mercor jeopardized parts of the AI training pipeline and led to a temporary suspension of some data activities.

      As the May 20 layoffs approach, the petition was still being circulated as of Tuesday evening.