Meta may postpone business terms again after publisher objections
Meta may delay its updated business terms beyond 20 November as it consults publishers concerned that the rules could allow it to use their content to train AI. The company says it will not make policy changes without full consultation, and its existing terms will remain in force until then.
The terms were originally due to take effect on 30 October, then postponed to 20 November after publisher objections. Meta removed wording that referred to training its products on content from news sites, but legal experts said the revision did not rule out that possibility. The News/Media Alliance and lawmakers from both major US parties have also criticised the proposal.
In short
- Meta may postpone the terms beyond 20 November.
- Publishers remain concerned about AI training on their content.
- Existing business terms stay in place during consultation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Meta could argue that clear, consistent business terms are needed to explain how its services operate and support the development of AI products. Consulting publishers and postponing the changes gives the company time to address concerns, while leaving existing terms in force avoids imposing disputed rules before that process is complete.
The case against
Publishers could argue that their reporting is valuable material and that broad or unclear terms may let Meta use it to train AI without meaningful permission or payment. They may see repeated revisions and delays as inadequate unless the final rules clearly protect their rights and explain how their content can be used.
Explained simply
Meta is the technology company behind Facebook and Instagram. Publishers, including news organisations, provide content for those platforms and rely on agreements that set out how it can be used.
The dispute concerns whether Meta’s business terms could permit it to use publishers’ material to train artificial intelligence systems. Meta has revised the wording, but some publishers and legal experts say it remains unclear what uses the rules allow.
The terms matter because they shape the relationship between a major platform and the organisations whose work appears on it. They also raise wider questions about how publishers’ content may be used in developing AI.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Meta says it’ll probably delay its controversial new business terms again”.