Meta Postpones Commercial Terms Update Indefinitely After Scraping Backlash
Meta told users in early October 2026 that its Commercial Terms would let it crawl websites tied to business accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
1 source 1d ago
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Why it matters
Meta's retreat leaves the scraping clause unwritten for now, but the terms it pulled still show how much of the web tied to business accounts it wanted to claim.
Key Facts
- Meta notified users in early October 2026 of a Commercial Terms update with a scraping provision.
- Meta removed the word train from the scraping clause on October 17, 2026.
- Meta's Business Center said on November 5, 2026 that the update was postponed indefinitely.
- The postponed terms include the Commercial Terms, Product Catalog Terms, Self-Serve Advertising Terms, and Advertising Creative Generative AI Terms.
- The terms will not take effect on November 20, 2026.
After criticism, Meta removed the word train from the scraping clause on October 17 and extended the effective date. On November 5, Meta's Business Center said the update, along with changes to its Product Catalog, Self-Serve Advertising, and Advertising Creative Generative AI terms, would be postponed indefinitely and will not take effect on November 20, 2026.
The postponement covers four sets of terms at once: the Commercial Terms, the Product Catalog Terms, the Self-Serve Advertising Terms, and the Advertising Creative Generative AI Terms. The Business Center notice on November 5 said none of them will take effect on November 20, 2026.
The scraping clause drew fire because nearly every news organization holds at least one Meta business account, and the original wording let Meta use content from linked domains for purposes that included training. Meta removed the word train on October 17 and limited scraped content to advertising and business products. The UK competition and consumer protection authority sent Meta a formal letter on October 20 to consult on the terms.
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