Potential Delay
The company states it will not make policy changes until it fully consults with publishers.
As Meta faces an escalating backlash over its new terms for businesses, the company says it might push back their implementation as it plans a full consultation with publishers. However, the company still has not changed the language of the terms, which grants the authority to scrape the websites of businesses that use Facebook.
The controversial new terms were originally scheduled to go into effect on October 30, but Meta later delayed the date to November 20 following an outcry. Now, a company spokesperson indicates that the actual implementation could be pushed back further, though the November 20 date remains listed on the website. Officials emphasize a commitment to getting the policy right through industry consultation, which could extend the timeline.
We've heard publishers' feedback on our proposed ads and business terms update. We care deeply about our partners and do not plan to make policy changes without a full consultation with industry groups and leaders. We're committed to getting this right, and as we expect this... https://t.co/t91Q1QU8mu — Andy Stone (@andymstone) October 28, 2026
Scraping Concerns
The update gives Meta the right to scrape the websites of companies that use Facebook. The terms specify that the company has the authority to use automated software such as web scrapers, bots, robots, spiders, crawlers, and user agents to access business websites in order to provide, develop, improve, research, and maintain advertising and business products.
Publishers have raised significant concerns, with one industry group describing the change as outrageous and likely illegal. A group of Norway-based outlets has also filed a lawsuit against the company over the new terms. Additionally, lawmakers have called on Meta to walk back the changes.
Industry and Legal Pushback
Critics note that the breadth of these updated provisions is extraordinary. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential to bypass technical measures essential to the economic security of news organizations and subscription-based creators, including paywalls, registration gates, and digital subscriber barriers, without any mechanism for businesses to opt out.
While Meta acknowledges the backlash, the company has not made substantive changes to its terms since removing the word train and adding a reference to advertising and business products. Representatives have stated that the new terms are not intended to scrape news sites and that the company intends to respect content owners' robots.txt preferences.
Legal experts and publishing groups point out that robots.txt preferences are not legally binding and that automated instructions are frequently ignored. Because Meta makes no reference to robots.txt in its official terms, critics argue that users lack a reliable contractual means to protect their content.
Meta did not immediately respond to questions regarding whether further modifications to its terms are planned.
