{"slug": "estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content", "title": "Estonian media association: Meta is planning the largest theft of content", "summary": "The Estonian Association of Media Companies has urged the European Commission to intervene against Meta's new business terms, which the association says would let Meta index, store, search and update publishers' web content for its business purposes without separate permission or payment; Meta has postponed the terms from October 30 to November 20 following discussions, European Commission Representation in Estonia deputy head Elis Paemurd said. Association board member Väino Koorberg called the development potentially \"the largest theft of content,\" and the U.S. News/Media Alliance, representing nearly 2,000 American publishers, has written Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg demanding the terms be withdrawn, with four further European publishers' organizations raising similar concerns with the Commission. Koorberg said Meta removed the word \"training\" from the terms after publisher protests but that the remaining language is broad enough to permit AI-related use, and he noted Meta is also testing a limit under which only two links can be shared free of charge per month on Facebook.", "body_md": "# Estonian media association: Meta is planning the largest theft of content\n\nEstonian media companies have warned US tech giant Meta's new business terms would let it use news content without consent or payment.\n\nThe companies are urging the European Commission to intervene over the terms, due originally to take effect October 30.\n\nThe Commission says Meta has postponed them to 20 November, following discussions, but the Estonian Association of Media Companies (Eesti meediaettevõtete liit) says the delay changes little.\n\nThe Estonian Association of Media Companies has appealed to policymakers and regulators over Meta's new business terms, which would require business users — including news publishers — to grant Meta permission to access their web content by automated software. Meta could then index, store, search and update that content for its business purposes, without separate permission or payment.\n\nMeta initially sought the right to use content for AI training. After publisher protests, it removed the word \"training,\" but the association says the remaining terms are broad enough to permit AI-related use anyway.\n\nIn the association's view the terms threaten media business models, as Meta could build competing products from journalistic content without paying for it. Publishers now face a choice: allow the use of their content, or lose a key channel for reaching readers.\n\nMedia association board member Väino Koorberg called the development potentially the largest theft of content, while in the U.S., the News/Media Alliance, representing nearly 2,000 American publishers, has written Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, demanding the terms be withdrawn. A further four European publishers' organizations have approached the Commission with similar concerns.\n\n\"In European Union terms, Meta is a so-called major gatekeeper, on whose activities the visibility of others hinges, hence why stricter rules have been established for them,\" Koorberg said.\n\nHe added that Meta is also testing restrictions on link sharing on Facebook. \"Only two links can be shared free of charge during a month,\" he said, which serves to limit the platform as a marketing channel.\n\nThe association says the situation threatens access to reliable information: more than half of people get daily news from social media, and reduced visibility for journalism could increase vulnerability to disinformation.\n\nKoorberg said Estonia should send a clear message. \"For example, state institutions can end cooperation with Meta and leave those platforms, because the change in terms also affects them,\" he said.\n\nElis Paemurd, deputy head of the European Commission Representation in Estonia, said Meta had postponed the terms to November 20 following discussions, adding that the Commission is ensuring Meta complies with EU law, including the prohibition on abuse of a dominant position.\n\nKoorberg said the delay does not mean media have escaped. \"Meta itself explains that it wants to specify and clarify how the terms should be interpreted,\" he said, adding that it may be a step toward neutralizing possible legal action. The association has told members to follow developments closely, and that the most extreme step would be to end all cooperation with Meta's products.\n\nEstonian media companies have warned US tech giant Meta's new business terms would let it use news content without consent or payment.\n\n--\n\n*Follow ERR News on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ERRNews/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/errnews) and never miss an update!*\n\nEditor: Andrew Whyte", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content", "canonical_source": "https://news.err.ee/1610178196/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content", "published_at": "2026-10-27 11:46:00+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-10-27 12:12:26.931825+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy", "ai-crawlers", "artificial-intelligence"], "entities": ["Meta", "Estonian Association of Media Companies", "European Commission", "Väino Koorberg", "Mark Zuckerberg", "News/Media Alliance", "Elis Paemurd", "Facebook"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/estonian-media-association-meta-is-planning-the-largest-theft-of-content.jsonld"}}