# Meta Postpones Controversial Business Terms After Global Backlash Publishers and regulators force Meta to delay data scraping policy updates. - **Source:** [ABC News: Technology](http://abcnews.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-02 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/38460dd2-ba7f-49e1-a362-c817215e3560 ## Policy Rollout Halted Meta officially postponed the implementation of new business account terms originally scheduled for October 30. The decision follows intense pressure from media companies and open-web advocates who feared the rules would permit unauthorized data scraping. Meta stated it will now prioritize industry consultations before introducing any future policy changes for its business clients. ## Scope of Proposed Rules The updated terms would have authorized Meta to use automated software to index, cache, and analyze domains associated with business accounts. Critics argued this access would allow the tech giant to scrape vast amounts of proprietary content. Such data could potentially be utilized to build AI services that compete directly with news publishers. ## Legal Challenges in Norway A Norwegian court issued a temporary injunction on October 28, suspending the new terms at the request of 180 media companies. The Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association, representing 97% of local newspaper circulation, successfully argued that Meta holds a dominant market position. The court deemed the proposed terms unreasonable pending a full legal assessment. ## Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation on October 30 into whether Meta’s requirements constitute unfair trading conditions. Meanwhile, the European Commission confirmed discussions with Meta regarding compliance with EU law. Regulators are focused on ensuring gatekeeper companies offer fair terms to businesses while adhering to the 2024 AI Act. ## Meta's Stated Intentions Meta spokesman Andy Stone claimed the update was intended to improve ad recommendations by pulling accurate product information from third-party websites. He denied the policy was designed for scraping news sites. Following a report by the Nieman Journalism Lab, Meta removed the specific word train from the terms, yet maintained the update's necessity. ## Publisher Demands for Fairness The Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association remains unsatisfied with the postponement. They demand that Meta explicitly respect publisher reservations against scraping and commit to separate, voluntary agreements for AI training usage. Furthermore, they insist that publishers who refuse these terms must not face marginalization or reduced visibility on Meta’s various social media platforms. ## Industry-Wide Resistance The Association of American Publishers publicly urged Meta to drop the terms entirely, citing the abuse of dominant market power. They argue that Meta implicitly acknowledges the need for permission to use creative works by attempting to compel consent through these onerous terms. This sentiment reflects a broader global pushback against tech giants' data practices. ## Broader Implications for Media This conflict highlights the tension between AI development and the financial sustainability of independent journalism. As tech giants seek vast datasets for model training, the democratic public sphere faces potential erosion. The outcome of these regulatory investigations will likely set a critical precedent for how digital platforms interact with content creators moving forward. ## Sources covering this story - https://abcnews.com/Technology/wireStory/meta-delays-new-business-terms-after-outcry-potential-137777976 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._