Meta Suspends Four Commercial Terms Updates Ahead of Nov. 20 Effective Date
Key Facts
Meta suspended updates to four types of its commercial terms on Nov. 6, saying they would not take effect on Nov. 20, 2026, extending uncertainty over the rules governing the use of content on its platforms. The suspension covers the Commercial Terms, Product Catalog Terms, Self-Serve Ads Terms and Generative AI Ads Terms. A company spokesperson said it had paused the changes to continue engaging with stakeholders and give itself time to complete them properly. The spokesperson added that the existing terms would remain in force during the consultation period. The decision follows objections from publishers and digital advertisers, as the company faces regulatory and legal proceedings in several markets.
Meta announced on Oct. 23 that it had extended the deadline for applying the terms to Nov. 20 from Oct. 30 to address concerns raised by publishers and digital advertisers. It then announced on Oct. 28 that it was postponing their rollout indefinitely, saying consultations could continue beyond the stated deadline. Earlier, publishers and digital advertisers had filed complaints with competition authorities in the European Union and the United Kingdom. The complainants alleged that the terms gave Meta an unlimited right to use their content for AI services, claims the company rejected. Meta said it did not intend to change the policies before holding full consultations with industry groups and their leaders.
The dispute centers on the scope of the proposed terms and the purpose of data Meta may collect from websites linked to business accounts. The company said the update was designed to collect accurate information about products offered for sale on external websites, for use in ad and content recommendations on its platforms. It added that the update was not intended to collect news websites. In revised wording, Meta removed the word “training” from the terms, according to the Associated Press, citing changes it made after a report by Nieman Lab. Therefore, describing the terms as authorization to collect account content to train AI models does not reflect the wording the company explained. The advertising and product terms remain among the pending updates, while Meta said its existing rules would continue temporarily.
In the United Kingdom, the Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation on Oct. 30 to assess whether the commercial terms could constitute an abuse of a dominant position under competition law. The authority said it would first examine whether Meta holds a dominant position in one or more UK markets, and then whether the terms amount to an abuse of that position. It emphasized that opening the investigation does not mean a breach of competition law has been established. Its timetable sets out initial information gathering and engagement with Meta and third parties from October 2026 to January 2027. The process places the proposed terms under independent regulatory scrutiny, while the outcome of the investigation remains unresolved.
The dispute coincided with legal action in Norway, where a court on Oct. 28 granted an interim injunction suspending the proposed terms at the request of 180 media companies, pending an assessment of their legality. The Associated Press reported that newspapers belonging to the Norwegian Media Businesses Association account for about 97% of newspaper circulation in the country. The association is calling for the use of journalism in AI products to be subject to a separate, voluntary agreement and accompanied by financial compensation. The European Commission also said it had discussed the proposed terms with Meta and welcomed the delay to their effective date. These developments remain part of a broader dispute over commercial terms that allow platforms to use media companies’ content.
The next announced step is continued consultation between Meta and stakeholders, alongside the UK authority’s information gathering through January 2027. The company has not set a new effective date for the updates, and said the existing terms remain in force during the pause. The company had linked its decision to the need to engage with industry groups and their leaders before changing its policies. The Norwegian Media Businesses Association, for its part, has proposed a paid voluntary agreement as a condition for using journalistic content in AI products. The wording of any revised terms and their timing remain tied to the outcome of the consultation and regulatory and legal developments.