Meta's New Tracking Software Sparks Privacy Concerns

Meta has faced significant backlash following the introduction of a new internal tracking software, launched in April, which monitors nearly every action taken by its employees. This tool, referred to internally as "Meta Employee Data Extractor," operates continuously in the background and is intended to assist in training artificial intelligence for task automation.

However, it has raised serious privacy concerns, as it reportedly reads emails and messages, including those sent from outside the United States, potentially violating European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The software's aggressive data collection comes at a time when Meta has laid off 8,000 employees in pursuit of its AI goals.

Critics argue that this move represents a betrayal of employee trust and an invasion of privacy, with some warning that it could lead to further job losses as AI replaces human workers. The situation has prompted calls for regulatory action to prevent such invasive practices.