Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 1 hr ago
Meta terms would allow scraping of business websites from October 30
From October 30, Meta’s new commercial terms take effect for businesses using its services.
The terms cover accounts that advertise or sell products, manage business pages or groups, or use tools such as Meta Business Suite.
They would let Meta use automated software to collect and revisit content on websites associated with those businesses.
Meta says the update consolidates existing terms, while legal experts have raised questions about how the change applies to current customers and whether it can be enforced.
The collected material could be used to develop and train Meta’s products, including AI, and experts warn it may include publishers’ work.
Publishers could face pressure to accept scraping if they want to keep access to Meta’s audience, according to a media industry group.
The change is scheduled to take effect on October 30, and the sources report no opt-out.
Meta’s updated commercial terms will take effect on October 30, 2026, and authorize it to scrape websites associated with businesses using its services.
The terms allow Meta or entities acting on its behalf to use automated tools and test credentials to access, collect and periodically update website content.
Meta says it may use that content to provide, develop, improve, research, train and maintain its products and services.
The change applies to a broad range of commercial users, including businesses that advertise, sell products, manage Pages or use Meta business tools.
News publishers and legal experts have raised concerns about consent, enforcement, intellectual property and the possible use of content to train AI models.
- Who
- Meta and businesses using its commercial services, including news publishers.
- What
- Updated terms authorize Meta to scrape websites associated with those businesses and use the content to develop and train its products.
- When
- The terms take effect on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- Websites and pages associated with commercial users’ products or services, including content made available through Meta services.
- Why
- Meta says the content may be used to provide, develop, improve, research, train and maintain its products and services. Critics say the terms could let it use content without licensing agreements.
Meta
News publishers and the News/Media Alliance
Purpose of scraping
Meta
Meta says it may use website content to provide, develop, improve, research, train and maintain its products and services.
News publishers and the News/Media Alliance
Publishers and their representatives say the terms could let Meta use their content without licensing agreements and potentially to train AI.
Consent and access
Meta
Meta’s terms authorize scraping of sites associated with commercial users.
News publishers and the News/Media Alliance
The News/Media Alliance says withholding access to Meta’s audience unless businesses allow scraping is an appalling policy and should not be implemented.
The Register, ZDNet and Ars Technica reported on Meta’s revised commercial terms.
Gizmodo published an article about the forthcoming update.
The updated commercial terms are scheduled to take effect.
- Effective date
- October 30, 2026
- Scope
- Websites associated with commercial users’ products or services
- Scraping methods
- Automated software and created test credentials
- Permitted uses
- Provide, develop, improve, research, train and maintain Meta products and services
- News/Media Alliance response
- Danielle Coffey called the terms outrageous and probably illegal
4 sources
Meta to Literally Every Business User: Nice Website You Got There
Meta grants itself right to scrape content from business customers for model training
Have a Meta business account? You’re consenting to AI scraping now, legal experts say
Meta may use sweeping new commercial TOS to avoid millions in AI licensing fees
What people are saying
Meta’s new commercial terms of use are outrageous and probably illegal
It’s not clear whether a court would enforce this, but publishers should assume that it would be enforceable.
clearly represents permission to Meta to train AI on any content from their sites and possibly to deploy some of that content, even in competition with the publishers themselves.
you have to give users a bona fide option to reject the terms
Posts on X
This is false. There's no change to how Meta uses web crawlers. As always, content owners can use robots.txt flags to indicate their preferences. This update is designed to make sure we’re able to pull accurate information about products for sale on third-party websites when