Meta removes the word 'train' from commercial TOS after AI training-data backlash
Ars Technica AI · rss · 2026-10-21
After legal experts warned that Meta's sweeping new commercial terms of service could allow it to endlessly scrape websites linked on business pages, Meta dropped the word "train" from its "streamlined" commercial TOS that takes effect October 30.
Citing Nieman Lab, experts suggested the policy might have let Meta avoid millions in licensing fees from news organizations by requiring business users to share AI training data simply for running a business page. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the company did not alert users to the changed language after the backlash, acknowledging Nieman Lab's initial report while not addressing its follow-up reiterating experts' concerns.
More from Safety
- Sanders calls to pause autonomous AI agents in bank accounts; critics push back — AIandDesign · 2026-10-23
- TechPolicy essay: system prompts are weak evidence of AI safety, outputs must be evaluated — mmitchell_ai · 2026-10-23
- Anthropic's deputy security chief warns cyber threats will get 'a lot worse before they get better' — Polymarket · 2026-10-23
- AI cyberattacks could paradoxically accelerate AI development in an offense-defense arms race — kimmonismus · 2026-10-23
- AI Now's People's AI Assembly spotlights data center opposition and labor rights — AINowInstitute · 2026-10-23
- Cloudflare CEO: Next two years of AI cyberattacks will be terrifying but make the internet more secure — johncoogan · 2026-10-23