Meta updates business terms for data access

Meta has updated the terms of service for its Meta Business Suite, allowing its automated tools to access and analyze websites linked to professional accounts, including those of news publishers. The changes will take effect on October 30 and do not include an opt-out option for publishers, who must accept the data collection or risk being excluded from the platform.

Expanded data access for Meta's AI training

The new terms enable Meta to use automated software to access, index, cache, analyze, collect, retrieve, or explore domains, web pages, or URLs connected to professional Meta accounts. This includes content from sites that use Meta's products, and Meta may regularly extract updates from these sources to improve its services, train AI models, and maintain product integrity.

Professional accounts and Meta's tools

Companies using Meta Business Suite, such as ZDNet, manage their social media presence through a centralized dashboard. This includes overseeing Instagram profiles, Facebook pages, Messenger, and WhatsApp channels. Legal experts consulted by Nieman Lab said the updated terms allow Meta to extract data from these associated sites to train its AI systems.

Meta avoids licensing agreements through new wording

According to Nieman Lab, Meta may be aiming to avoid entering licensing agreements with websites and news publishers by using new language related to "web scraping." This process allows companies to extract data from websites, which is valuable for training AI models. News content is particularly useful because it is typically well-researched and fact-checked.

AI search features and publisher concerns

The use of AI-based search features has hurt traffic to information websites, affecting their advertising revenue. Some publishers have sued AI companies for using their content without proper attribution or licensing. Some AI companies have responded by entering licensing agreements with news outlets to avoid legal issues.

Meta defends its approach to terms

Meta stated it was aligning its terms of service with those related to commercial and self-service advertising, according to The Verge. However, the company did not immediately respond to a request for further comment on the changes.