Meta removes language that raised scraping and AI training concerns

Key points

• Meta removed a commercial terms provision that said it could use business account content to train and improve its products.
• A Meta spokesperson said the update did not change how Meta crawls the web.
• Meta said the consolidated crawling terms only applied to its ads and business products.

Meta has removed language from its commercial terms of use that had raised concerns about web scraping and AI training, The Verge reported. The earlier update stated that Meta could use any content from a business account's domains, web pages or URLs to provide, develop, improve, research, train and maintain the integrity of Meta products and services.

A Meta spokesperson said the updated terms did not reflect a change in how Meta crawls the web. The provision has now been taken out.

What Meta said

In a statement, the company said it had listened to feedback and wanted to clarify the matter. Meta said the crawling terms it consolidated only applied to its ads and business products, and that this has been clarified in the terms themselves.

The company added that the change does not affect how Meta uses web crawlers.

We’ve heard you and want to clarify: the crawling terms we consolidated only applied to our ads and business products, and we’ve clarified that in the terms themselves

— Meta