Meta pauses new business terms after European legal challenges

Meta has postponed the implementation of updated terms for its business accounts following objections from media organizations and regulatory bodies in Europe. The new rules were originally set to take effect on Oct. 30, 2026. They would have permitted Meta to use automated software, including web scrapers and bots, to index, cache, analyze, and collect data from the domains and web pages associated with business accounts.

The delay comes after a court in Norway granted a temporary injunction on Oct. 28 at the request of 180 Norwegian media companies. Lene Eltvik Vindfeld, chair of the board for the Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association, stated that the court agreed Meta holds a dominant position in the relevant market and that the new terms are unreasonable. The association’s member newspapers represent approximately 97% of Norwegian newspaper circulation.

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority announced on Oct. 30 that it is investigating the conditions. The agency expressed concern that requiring news publishers to accept these terms could amount to an unlawful imposition of unfair trading conditions. In the United States, the Association of American Publishers called on Meta to drop the new terms. Maria A. Pallante, the group’s president and CEO, said the update implies Meta requires permission to use creative works while compelling such consent from commercial users.

Meta stated that the update is designed to pull accurate information about products for sale on third-party websites for on-platform ad recommendations, rather than to scrape news sites. Spokesman Andy Stone noted that the company is listening to feedback and that existing terms remain in place. Stone added that Meta does not plan to make policy changes without full consultation with industry groups and leaders.

Critics argue the postponement is insufficient. Randi S. Øgrey, CEO of the Norwegian MBL, said the issue concerns public access to trustworthy journalism and that the financial foundations of independent media are at stake. She outlined three demands: Meta must respect publishers’ reservations against scraping, AI usage of journalism must be voluntary and paid, and publishers who do not sign the new terms should not be marginalized on the platforms.

The European Commission confirmed it discussed the proposed terms with Meta and welcomed the postponement. Spokesperson Sara Simonini said the commission is committed to ensuring Meta’s practices comply with EU law, which prohibits the abuse of dominant market positions. The commission has also asked unspecified AI model providers for details on their training materials, in line with the EU’s AI Act adopted in 2024.

The Movement for an Open Web, which initially complained to the U.K. regulator, described the move as a win but warned it is only the start. Tim Cowen of the group said regulators must quickly clarify that anti-competitive actions are not acceptable. Meta has not scheduled a new date for the rollout of the updated business terms.