Meta: AI Development

Lord Clement-Jones Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Clement-Jones]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Meta’s updated Commercial Terms, which from 30 October authorise it to crawl the websites of UK business users for the purposes of AI development.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath) (Lab)]

The Government recognise the concerns raised by businesses and rights holders about Meta’s updated commercial terms. Meta has delayed their introduction until 20 November, and the Competition and Markets Authority is engaging directly with Meta. We are committed to ensuring that creators can control the use of their work. In our March Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, we committed to publishing a review of mechanisms for creators to control their works online, including technical standards and best practice on input transparency. This will inform whether there is an appropriate role for government.

[Lord Clement-Jones (LD)]

My Lords, I welcome what the Minister has said but, while Meta has delayed these terms, it has not changed a word of them in doing so. It does not use the word “train” any more, but it can still crawl publishers’ websites to “develop and improve” its products. It says publishers can block its crawlers, yet the terms seem to let it get around paywalls and technical blocks. The only way out is for publishers to close the Meta business accounts that their advertising depends on. If Meta means what it says, will the Government press it to put its assurances into the terms and urge the CMA to use its powers under the Digital Markets Act before 20 November?