TBNTech
Meta removes language that may have allowed it to scrape news sites
Publication: The Verge
Author: Terrence O’Brien
Source published: 17/10/2026, 15:04:36 UTC
Briefing created: 18/10/2026, 02:09:02 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 17/10/2026, 15:16:25 UTC.
Briefings
Meta updated its commercial terms of service on October 17, 2026, removing language previously allowing it to scrape news sites for AI training. This change follows significant backlash from industry observers and legal experts who interpreted the revised terms as a clear signal that Meta would not scrape content from news domains. The update specifically targets phrases that suggested Meta could use content from such domains to train its AI systems, a move that has been widely criticized for potentially violating intellectual property rights.
Key points
- Meta removed language from its commercial terms allowing it to scrape content from news sites to train AI, effective immediately after October 17, 2026.
- Legal experts like James Grimmelmann and Neiman Lab interpreted the revised terms as a definitive statement that Meta would not scrape content from news domains.
Context
Meta updated its commercial terms of service on October 17, 2026, removing language previously allowing it to scrape news sites for AI training. This change follows significant backlash from industry observers and legal experts who interpreted the revised terms as a clear signal that Meta would not scrape content from news domains.
Limitations
Evidence is limited to the specific removal of language from the commercial terms page as of October 17, 2026. The article does not provide details on the scope of the backlash, the specific legal arguments raised, or the timeline of previous attempts to remove such language. The update does not explicitly state which AI models were affected or the exact mechanism of the removal beyond the text change.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 18/10/2026, 02:09:02 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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