Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been accused of “digital piracy” for allegedly planning to use content from British publishers without authorization to improve its AI models.
Amid growing calls for intervention by the UK’s competition watchdog, the Silicon Valley giant has been warned that its sweeping policy changes could lead to the demise of “credible journalism,” potentially replacing it with a “cesspool” of online misinformation.
There are concerns that the global tech company’s newly proposed terms and conditions for platforms like Facebook and Instagram would grant it the right to “scrape” content from any UK-based publisher that uses these services.
This would extend to content published outside of Meta’s ecosystem such as material hosted on a publisher’s own website unless the publisher actively opts out by toggling a digital “off” switch.
However, critics fear that this opt-out mechanism fails to provide adequate protection, and that Meta’s move could mark the beginning of a slide toward the large-scale “theft” of publishers’ content.
Critics argue that the only way to completely avoid these new terms would be for publishers to delete all their accounts on Meta’s platforms a step that could prove financially devastating, given that these accounts serve as a vital conduit for driving readers to the publishers’ own websites. It is also argued that such a move would deprive Facebook and Instagram users of reliable, rigorously verified news from major publishing organizations, while allowing Meta to train its AI models using less credible sources.
Meta denies that these changes are related to the scraping of news websites for the purpose of training AI models. The company insists that the changes are limited solely to how advertisements are displayed on its platforms and how the accuracy of information such as price fluctuations is verified.
However, amid growing opposition, the matter was debated in the House of Lords on Tuesday, where it was warned that British news organizations might be forced to choose between “handing over their journalism” or leaving Meta’s platforms entirely.
The tech giant was also accused of “abusing” its monopoly in the global market.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Meta’s proposed changes changes that have also sparked concern among publishers in Europe and the United States, where similar challenges are being faced.
In light of the mounting opposition, Meta has postponed the implementation of these changes until November 20.
Danny Groom, CEO and publisher of the Daily Mail, has spearheaded growing calls among British publishers for the CMA to intervene before this deadline. They stated: “This is a prime example of tech giants shamelessly exploiting news organizations and seizing their content, while completely disregarding the concepts of value or fair use.”
“It is imperative that governments grasp the implications of this new form of digital piracy, and the very real threat it poses not only to global news organizations but to the broader digital ecosystem.”
“This move by Meta is entirely unacceptable and must be resisted and opposed at every level.”
Theo Bertram, head of the News Media Association which represents the majority of national, regional, and local publishers in the UK remarked: “Meta’s shameful attempt to force publishers to hand over all their journalism for AI scraping is nothing short of a war on the truth.”
“If Meta does not change course, Facebook risks becoming an unchecked hotbed of false and misleading information, which would plunge our information ecosystem into chaos.”
“We need urgent action from regulators worldwide including the Competition and Markets Authority here in the UK to protect consumers from this disastrous outcome.”
Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative Chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, stated: “This risks not only undermining the commercial value of journalism but could also fuel the spread of misinformation, should publishers decide to remove their accounts from Meta’s platforms.”
Former Conservative Tech Minister Damian Collins commented: “Meta’s proposals appear to constitute an abuse of market power.” ‘It is telling businesses that if they use its social media and advertising services, Meta can scrape their websites for free and make use of whatever it finds. No choice, no compensation.
‘This will deal a severe blow to the sustainability of news providers and publishers.
‘It is akin to having Dulux paint your front door, only to be told that they now also possess the key to your house—and are free to take whatever they find inside.’
Crossbench peer Baroness Kidron added: ‘This exposes the reality that the creative industries are fighting against.
‘It is an assault on those who conceive, create, and build the UK’s culture and public discourse.
‘Legitimizing the theft of all intellectual and creative ideas as a condition for using a service is nothing short of granting a license to steal.’
During the debate in the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones led the cross-party opposition.
He stated: ‘These terms effectively allow Meta to bypass paywalls and technical barriers. The only way to opt out is for publishers to close their Meta business accounts accounts upon which their advertising revenue depends.’
Tory P…Baroness Harding of Winscombe stated: “When Meta removed news from its platforms in Canada in response to legislation requiring payment for such content, the resulting void was filled with misinformation.
“If British publishers are forced to choose between surrendering their journalism or leaving Meta’s platforms, what assessment has the government made regarding the consequences for our public discourse and our society?”
Labour Peer Lord Brennan of Kent added: “May I urge the Minister to take a firm stance on this matter, and for the government to exercise all its powers to prevent this abuse of market power by Meta—a move that poses a threat to authentic journalism?”
Responding on behalf of the government, Baroness Ramsay said: “The CMA [Competition and Markets Authority] acknowledges the urgency of this situation, particularly for businesses that rely on Meta’s services to reach their customers.
“Delaying action does not resolve the questions arising from the impact of these new terms. We understand that the CMA is in direct contact with Meta to establish the facts.”
Meta’s proposed changes would permit the company or any entity acting on its behalf to use “automated software” to “access, index, cache, analyze, collect, retrieve, or crawl” domains, web pages, or URLs (including any content accessible through them) associated with the “products or services” of users. It further states: “Meta may use any content obtained from such domains, web pages, or URLs to provide, develop, improve, research, train, and maintain the integrity of Meta company products, services, and features as provided under these commercial terms and any other applicable additional terms.”
Meta has since removed the word “train.” However, critics argue that retaining the term “develop” could still allow the company to use scraped content to improve its AI models.
Such models have the capability to aggregate information for web users from a wide range of sources including news websites and present it in a way that eliminates the need for users to visit the publishers’ own platforms.
A spokesperson for the CMA stated: “The CMA is in urgent discussions with Meta regarding this significant matter.”
“Meta has now paused implementation until November 20. We will continue to examine these terms and remain in contact with Meta and other parties as we consider our next steps.”
The regulator has the authority to effectively compel Meta to reverse these changes in the UK, including through the imposition of sanctions such as fines.
Meta denies that these changes relate to AI training or the scraping of news websites, asserting instead that their purpose is to improve the display of advertisements.
The company states that users of its platforms can “signal” their preference to opt out. A spokesperson added: “We are extending the effective date of our updated Commercial Terms and Self-Serve Ad Terms to November 20, to give our partners and stakeholders more time to understand what is changing and what is not including how Meta uses web crawlers [automated software that browses the web to index content].”
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