By Fatma Younis
Meta has reversed course on a controversial policy change that would have allowed it to scrape data from business account holders' websites to train artificial intelligence models.
Global Outcry and Political Opposition
The proposed terms, announced in mid-October, sparked global criticism from politicians in the United States and United Kingdom who argued the rules forced publishers and business owners to surrender control of their websites to continue using Meta's platforms.
Meta's Attempts to Appease Critics
In response, Meta removed the word "train" from the new rules in an effort to alleviate concerns that user content would feed AI systems. The company also repeatedly delayed the implementation deadline, initially set for October 30 and later moved to November 20.
Policy Paused Indefinitely
Meta now says it has "paused" the updates and they will not take effect on November 20 as planned. The company states it is continuing to consult with stakeholders and will provide further updates, while existing terms remain in effect.
