Meta’s AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say

<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/STK043_VRG_Illo_N_Barclay_1_Meta.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meta has tweaked its business terms to remove language suggesting that it could freely train its AI models on news sites, like <em>The Verge</em> - but legal experts say these changes aren't enough to address their concerns. "This does nothing to restrict the 'associated with your products or services' [language] that would let Meta scrape entire sites," James Grimmelmann, a professor of digital and information law at Cornell Law School, <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/10/legal-experts-warn-metas-new-terms-still-grant-broad-scraping-permissions-despite-language-changes/">tells Nieman Lab</a>.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Initially, Meta's new terms for business accounts appeared to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1012846/meta-business-terms-scrape-news-publishers">give the company permission to train its AI</a> on news sites. The terms, which go into effect October 30th, stated that Meta "may use any …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1017082/meta-terms-update-ai-training-concerns">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>