# Meta Expands Data Scraping Rights for AI Model Training New commercial terms allow Meta to scrape business customer websites starting October 2026. - **Source:** [www.theregister.com - Articles](https://www.theregister.com) - **Published:** 2026-10-16 - **Topic:** [Data & AI](https://brifing.si/c/data-ai) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b5f7ab6c-2cf8-4cb1-b5e1-13b276b1289f ## New Data Collection Mandate Meta is updating its commercial terms of service to authorize the scraping of content from websites linked to its business customers. Effective October 30, 2026, this policy allows the company to use automated software, including bots and crawlers, to index and retrieve data from domains associated with any Meta business product or service. ## Scope of Affected Entities The policy applies to any business utilizing Meta’s advertising tools, marketing messages, product catalogs, or business suites. With over a million businesses currently using AI agents within WhatsApp and Messenger, the reach of this data harvesting initiative is extensive, impacting news publishers and commercial entities that maintain a presence across Meta’s various platforms. ## AI Model Enhancement Goals Meta explicitly states that the collected content will be used to provide, develop, and improve its products, specifically including AI models. By creating test credentials and pulling periodic updates from customer URLs, the company aims to maintain the integrity of its services while training its generative AI systems on proprietary business web content. ## Industry Backlash and Criticism Danielle Coffey, CEO of the News/Media Alliance, condemned the policy as an abuse of market power. She argued that withholding audience access unless businesses permit scraping is a bad-faith move. Critics suggest that forcing these terms on existing customers creates a coercive environment, leaving businesses with few viable options to protect their intellectual property. ## Legal and Procedural Concerns Professor Eric Goldman highlights significant procedural issues regarding how these terms are enforced on existing relationships. He questions whether businesses that have prepaid for services can reject these new terms without losing their access or receiving refunds. The lack of a clear opt-out mechanism raises concerns about the fairness of these contractual amendments. ## Trust Deficit and History The controversy is exacerbated by Meta’s historical reputation regarding user privacy and data harvesting. Past incidents, such as the Cambridge Analytica scandal and settlements involving social media addiction, have depleted the company's reservoir of good faith. Consequently, legal experts and business owners are inclined to interpret the broad contractual language in the worst possible light. ## Ambiguity of Robots.txt Compliance While reports suggest Meta might respect robots.txt directives, the actual contractual language does not explicitly guarantee this compliance. Since the law does not strictly mandate adherence to robots.txt files, businesses remain uncertain if their technical attempts to block crawlers will be honored, further fueling the debate over Meta's intentions and operational transparency. ## Implications for Digital Sovereignty This development forces businesses to re-evaluate their digital footprint and reliance on Meta’s ecosystem. As the line between platform utility and data extraction blurs, companies must decide if the benefits of using Meta’s advertising and messaging tools outweigh the risks of having their proprietary website content utilized for training the company's competitive AI models. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/10/16/meta-grants-itself-right-to-scrape-content-from-business-customers-for-model-training/5303658 — --- _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._