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Meta's AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say
Meta's new commercial terms take effect October thirtieth across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, and legal experts say businesses get no partial opt-out; the sentence changed, the worry didn't.
On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN After HoursPublished
Photo: InvadingInvader · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN After Hours at 4:10 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Verge's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by The Verge: “Meta’s AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say”, with reporting from Nieman Lab, Quartz, citing The Verge, Digital Trends, Northeast Times, citing Nieman Lab and Quartz.
- Covered on BBN on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 4:10 AM ET on BBN After Hours, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
- Topics: Meta, AI.
- BBN covered this story before: Meta removes language that raised scraping and AI training concerns (October 17).
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- The VergeMeta’s AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say
- Nieman LabMeta’s new commercial terms will allow the scraping of news sites, legal experts say facts used on air
- Quartz, citing The VergeMeta removed AI training wording from business terms after backlash facts used on air
- Digital TrendsMeta changes terms that raised concerns over scraping publisher websites - Digital Trends facts used on air
- Northeast Times, citing Nieman LabMeta Terms Taking Effect Oct. 30 Let It Scrape Business Websites for AI Training - Northeast Times October 16, 2026 · facts used on air
- QuartzMeta removed AI training wording from business terms after backlash facts used on air
What BBN said about it
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentMeta removed the wording that said scraped material could train its products, but three legal experts told Nieman Lab the leftover phrase, associated with your products or services, still lets it argue the same thing.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentMeta says this is not about scraping news sites. Virtually every newsroom has a business account, and the terms start October thirtieth. That's a lot of not scraping.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentCorrect, and there's no partial opt-out either.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo they deleted the sentence and kept the loophole. That's deleting the post and keeping the screenshot.
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Photo: The White House · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Megapro17 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: NASA, ESA, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner… · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Robin Stott · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a… · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
The story so far
- Fashion cozies up to Meta glasses, A.I. ads and robot models · The New York Times
- Meta launches an open-weight AI model that runs on Macs · TechCrunch
- Meta may use sweeping new commercial TOS to avoid millions in AI… · Ars Technica
- Christmas movie slate lands early; Greenport oysters, fashion's AI… · TVLine
- Meta removes language that raised scraping and AI training concerns · TechCrunch
- Meta's AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say (this story)
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Friday, October 23, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months
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