Meta removes AI-training sentence from web-crawling clause in pending terms

Meta removed a sentence from its pending commercial terms that allowed it to use content crawled from business-linked websites to train AI, according to archived captures reported by Unite.AI on 17 October.

The original clause began: "Meta may use any content from such domains, web pages, or URLs to provide, develop, improve, research, train". Unite.AI said the verb "train" no longer appears in the provision.

Meta has not said it changed the text. Unite.AI inferred the edit by comparing an archived capture from 16 October with one from the early hours of 17 October.

The revised clause still lets Meta, or anyone acting for it, use "web scrapers, bots, robots, spiders, crawlers, and user agents" to "access, index, cache, analyze, collect, retrieve, or crawl" business users' domains and pages. The stated purpose is now to "provide, develop, improve, research, and maintain advertising and business products", and to maintain the integrity and security of Meta products.

Other edits include a shorter licence section for shared content. The sentence about helping users create and deliver ads has been removed.

The Self-Serve Ad Terms preview carries the same revised clause. Product Catalog Terms are now folded into the Commercial Terms, and Ad Creative Generative AI Terms into the Self-Serve Ad Terms.

Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, said on 16 October that the terms were "outrageous and probably illegal" and could not be implemented on 30 October. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded the same day. He said the update "was not about scraping news sites", that how Meta uses web crawlers had not changed, and that content owners can use robots.txt flags.

The revised terms still take effect on 30 October 2026.