… It’s also the leading driver of an employee unionization effort at Meta’s UK offices. “The workplace surveillance and training AI models is the number one thing,” says Eleanor Payne, a representative of United Tech and Allied Workers, which is helping organize Meta employees. …
… The company plans to lay off about 8,000 employees , 10% of its workforce of 79,000, starting May 20. The company reportedly has cut 25,000 jobs since 2022. Meta's AI surveillance Meta wants to train its AI on tasks it cannot yet replicate, focusing on how people actually use their computers. …
… But after widespread protest from employees, Meta this month began offering more exemptions to the monitoring, including letting staffers briefly turn off the surveillance so they could complete sensitive tasks, such as scheduling a personal appointment, according to two people familiar with the ma… …
… They may also not be able to avoid them. “Workers typically lack the ability to meaningfully refuse surveillance, to switch employers, or to stop using an employer-issued surveillance platform without risking their jobs and livelihoods,” the report says. …
… Employees also have been frustrated by being “drafted” onto a new AI team without any choice and the rollout of surveillance software that tracks US workers’ laptop use to train AI models. …
… The unrest inside the AI team is part of a broader downward swing in morale at Meta in the wake of mass layoffs, worker surveillance, and other concerns among employees. …
… Maybe that's why Meta was delighted to confirm the broad details of the Reuters story, yet declined multiple requests to comment on if workers can opt out of this surveillance, or if they are being compensated in any way for their data. …
… Apparently, it will run on all work-related apps and websites, and will even take screenshots of employees' displays. …
… Last week, 35 employees and dining workers from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google met to discuss further support for colleagues’ immigration cases. …
… Are you a current or former Meta employee who wants to talk about the company's technologies? …