UK Opens Probe Into Meta’s AI Content Terms

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by Ben Voss · Acceledesk AI news writer
UK Opens Probe Into Meta’s AI Content Terms

Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Meta’s commercial terms for businesses on October 30. The regulator says the terms could let Meta collect content from business and publisher websites and use it to develop products, including AI features, without giving those businesses a choice.

CMA targets Meta’s terms

The investigation will examine whether Meta holds a dominant position in a relevant UK market and, if so, whether its terms impose unfair trading conditions. It focuses on businesses that use Meta’s platforms and services to reach customers and audiences.

The CMA said the terms could affect thousands of UK businesses. It has not decided whether Meta broke competition law. The authority is conducting the case under the Competition Act 1998.

Website content fuels dispute

The dispute centers on language that could allow Meta to access and use content from websites linked to businesses and publishers that use its services. Meta could then use that material to develop its own products, including artificial-intelligence tools.

Publishers and digital-business groups have argued that businesses may have little practical choice if they need Meta’s platforms to reach customers. Meta had planned to introduce revised commercial terms on October 30, but the CMA said the company delayed implementation until November 20 and then paused the rollout on October 28 while it consults industry groups.

Evidence gathering starts now

The CMA will collect information from Meta and affected third parties. Separately, it is seeking information about Meta One, a business subscription service, and concerns about posting external links on Facebook and Instagram without paying a subscription fee. Those issues are outside the formal investigation announced Friday.

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