Publishers fear Meta’s proposed terms could threaten press freedom
The article argues that Meta’s size and control over major social platforms could threaten press freedom, particularly if publishers become more dependent on Facebook to reach readers. It focuses on a proposed change to Meta’s terms that publishers fear could let the company use their online journalism to develop AI products without payment.
Meta says the change has been misunderstood, that it will not alter how its web crawlers operate, and that publishers can still block them; it has postponed the change until 20 November. The UK Competition and Markets Authority says it shares publishers’ concerns and is examining the terms. The News Media Association, representing more than 900 UK news titles, has called the proposal an assault on journalism, while the article notes that up to a third of some UK local news audiences come via Facebook.
In short
- Publishers fear Meta could use their online journalism to power AI.
- Meta says publishers can block its crawlers and disputes the concerns.
- The UK competition regulator is examining the proposed terms.
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The case for
Publishers can argue that allowing a dominant platform to use journalism to develop AI products without payment risks extracting value from reporting they have funded, while making news organisations more dependent on a company that controls access to many readers. Clear limits and fair terms could help protect press freedom and support the resources needed for journalism. The scale of Facebook’s role in reaching local audiences makes those concerns more pressing.
The case against
Meta can argue that the proposed terms have been misunderstood and do not change how its web crawlers operate, while publishers remain able to block them. On this view, access to online material under clear, controllable terms can support AI development without removing publishers’ ability to decide how their work is used. Delaying the change and engaging with regulators may allow concerns to be addressed without restricting innovation.
Explained simply
Meta owns Facebook, a social network that helps publishers reach readers, including audiences who may not visit news websites directly. This can make the platform an important source of traffic, particularly for some local news outlets.
The concern is that publishers could become more dependent on a company that also sets the terms for using its platform. News organisations say the proposed terms could allow Meta to use their online journalism to develop AI products without paying them, raising questions about control over their work and the balance of power between platforms and the press.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “STEPHEN GLOVER: Obnoxious practices, unbridled power… how this digital behemoth threatens Press freedom”.