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Meta is facing privacy concerns in Europe over an internal program that collects employee computer activity to train artificial intelligence systems.
The project is called the Model Capability Initiative and it records how employees interact with their computers. This includes mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes and activity across applications. The company is using the data to train AI agents that can learn and replicate human actions.
This is part of Meta's broader effort to develop AI systems capable of handling software-based work with minimal human input.
The project has attracted attention given concerns that communications involving employees outside the United States could be included in the training data.
Meta has said the software runs only on company-managed devices used by US-based employees. Reports citing internal documents suggest that emails and chat messages exchanged with colleagues in other countries could also be captured when they interact with monitored workers.
That possibility has raised questions under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sets strict rules on how personal data can be collected and used.
Privacy experts argue that workplace communications created for business purposes cannot automatically be reused for AI training. organizations must have a valid legal basis for processing personal data and must clearly define how that data will be used under the GDPR.
Legal experts say regulators may examine whether the program complies with the regulation's purpose-limitation principle, which restricts companies from using personal information for purposes unrelated to the reason it was originally collected.
The initiative has also faced criticism from employees. According to reports, workers have raised concerns about the extent of monitoring and the lack of an opt-out option on company devices. More than 1,000 employees reportedly signed a petition opposing the program, while protests were held at some Meta offices.
Meta has defended the project, saying it focuses on interaction data rather than screen content and includes safeguards to minimize privacy risks. The company has also said it remains committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations.
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The issue comes as regulators across Europe are taking a closer look at how technology companies collect data for AI development.
Ireland's Data Protection Commission, Meta's lead privacy regulator in the European Union, has reportedly been informed about the project. Any regulatory review could shape how companies use workplace data in future AI training programs.
