Sanef warns Meta could use SA news to train AI without paying publishers

South African editors have sounded the alarm over Meta’s latest commercial terms, warning that the tech giant could use journalism produced by local news organisations to develop its artificial intelligence products without consent, recognition or compensation.

The warning comes amid growing global resistance to the Facebook owner’s plans, with courts in Brazil and Norway already stepping in as publishers fight back against what critics say is an unprecedented grab for news content.

Rollout

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) said Meta’s proposed terms would allow the company to crawl and collect content from websites linked to businesses using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, including most news organisations.

Although Meta has delayed the rollout until 20 November and promised consultations with publishers, Sanef said the revised wording still leaves the door open for journalism to be used in the development of generative AI products.

“Even on a narrow reading, it would allow Meta’s AI services to draw on news journalism shared through its platforms, as it is published, to generate answers without recognition or payment,” SANEF said.

International response

The concerns have triggered a coordinated international response. The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has called on Meta to suspend the terms for news publishers and negotiate a fair framework for the use of journalism.

Meanwhile, media organisations in Norway secured a court order temporarily blocking the policy, while a Brazilian court barred Meta from collecting journalism to train AI systems without authorisation.

“Warning shot”

Sanef described the terms as a “warning shot” for South African publishers, arguing that they demonstrate how close a dominant technology platform has come to using publishers’ work wholesale as a condition of doing business.

The organisation has called on Meta to withdraw the crawling provision for South African publishers, urged the Competition Commission to closely monitor the rollout of the terms, and renewed calls for government to allow publishers to negotiate collectively with major tech and AI companies.

“Global normative principles on publisher consent, enforceable opt-outs and fair terms for the use of journalism are urgently needed,” Sanef said.