Meta's new terms allow it to train AI on publisher content

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 01:44 · Archive

Meta's new commercial terms, effective 30 October, appear to permit the company to scrape websites associated with business customers to train its AI models.

Meta's new commercial terms, taking effect on 30 October, appear to give the company permission to scrape websites associated with businesses that use its platforms. According to Nieman Lab, the terms specifically apply to business accounts that promote content across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

The new policy states that Meta can use automated software to access, index, cache, analyse and crawl domains and web pages associated with a business's products or services. Meta says it may use content from these sources to develop, improve, research, train and maintain its products and services.

Legal experts told Nieman Lab that the terms could allow Meta to bypass common blocking instructions such as robots.txt files, potentially permitting the company to train its AI models on content from online publishers without separate licensing agreements. However, Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts stated that the company is simply consolidating its existing commercial and self-serve advertising terms rather than introducing new rights.

How it is being reported

• Meta grants itself right to scrape content from business customers for model trainingThe future is private, the present is plunderThe Register · 16 Oct, 21:00
• Meta’s new terms may allow it to train AI on news sites for freeMeta's new terms appear to give it permission to crawl and scrape websites "associated" with the businesses that use its platforms - including online publishers, according to a report from Nieman Lab. The new terms, which go into effect on October 30th, say Meta can use this outside content to "develop, improve, research," and "train" […]The Verge · 16 Oct, 15:02

In this story: Meta · Nieman Lab · Daniel Roberts · Facebook · Instagram · WhatsApp · Messenger

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