Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 2 hrs ago
Publishers urge UK ministers to back action against Meta over scraping terms
UK publishers are urging ministers to back action against Meta over proposed terms for businesses using Facebook and Instagram.
The terms could let Meta scrape websites linked to business accounts, though the company says the changes are for advertising and business products, not to scrape news sites.
Publishers fear their content could be used without payment and say leaving Meta platforms could cost them readers who follow links to their own websites.
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is investigating the changes, and publishers say public support from ministers could help it act.
Meta has already moved the planned start date from October 30 to November 20 and says it may delay again while it consults publishers.
Meta has not made substantive changes to the terms, and the dispute has also led to a lawsuit by Norwegian publishers and calls for the company to reverse course from lawmakers.
Separately, a Paris appeals court ordered Meta to negotiate in good faith with French publishers over payment for reused news content; Meta has not paid them since early 2025.
UK publishing industry leaders have urged ministers to publicly support action by the Competition and Markets Authority against Meta’s proposed business terms.
They warn the terms could let Meta scrape content from publishers’ websites without payment, including content beyond Meta’s platforms.
The CMA is investigating the changes, and the publishers say public backing could help it act.
Meta says the changes are not about scraping news sites and says it plans to consult publishers before making policy changes.
Meta’s updated terms were first due to take effect on October 30, then delayed to November 20, with a further delay possible.
- Who
- The News Media Association and UK publishing industry leaders urged Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to back action. Meta is the company whose proposed terms are under scrutiny.
- What
- Publishers want ministers to publicly support a crackdown on Meta’s proposed business terms, which they fear could permit scraping of their content.
- When
- The letter was sent during the week of October 26, 2026. The request was reported on October 29.
- Where
- The dispute concerns UK publishers and Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
- Why
- Publishers say the terms could allow Meta to collect their content without payment and warn that the CMA may not act without explicit political backing.
UK publishing industry
Meta
Terms and scraping
UK publishing industry
Publishers fear the proposed terms could let Meta scrape their websites’ content without paying for it.
Meta
Meta says the changes are not about scraping news sites and says it will consult publishers before making policy changes.
Government and regulator action
UK publishing industry
The News Media Association says the CMA is willing to engage but needs the Government to stand behind it publicly.
Meta
Meta says it plans a full consultation with publishers and may delay implementation if that consultation extends beyond November 20.
Meta removed the word train from its proposed terms and added a reference to advertising and business products.
Fast Company reported that Meta had moved the terms’ effective date from October 30 to November 20.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company might delay implementation beyond November 20 if its planned consultation with publishers continued.
Theo Bamber sent a letter urging Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to publicly back action against Meta.
The Daily Mail reported the publishers’ request and said the CMA was investigating the terms.
- Letter sender
- Theo Bamber, head of the News Media Association
- Recipients
- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy
- Regulator
- Competition and Markets Authority
- Original effective date
- October 30, 2026
- Revised effective date
- November 20, 2026
- Meta platforms named
- Facebook and Instagram
6 sources
Copyright Alliance – whose members include the RIAA, NMPA, and UMG – calls Meta’s proposed business terms ‘unconscionable.’ Now Meta says the rollout could be delayed again.
Droits voisins : les éditeurs de presse gagnent une manche dans leur conflit avec Meta
Ministers urged to break cover and publicly back crackdown on Facebook owner Meta over plans to 'steal' UK publishers' content to train AI models, with publishing industry accusing Government of 'absence of any public support'
Meta weighs delaying 'alarming' new business terms as backlash grows
AI agents have no rules, so Meta wrote its own
What people are saying
the absence of any public support from the Government
We care deeply about our partners and do not plan to make policy changes without a full consultation with industry groups and leaders
This is not about scraping news sites.
We will follow the CMA's engagement with Meta closely.
Posts on X
We've heard publishers' feedback on our proposed ads and business terms update. We care deeply about our partners and do not plan to make policy changes without a full consultation with industry groups and leaders. We're committed to getting this right, and as we expect this