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São Paulo Court Restricts Meta’s Use of News Content From Outlets Affiliated With Three Press Associations
A São Paulo court barred Meta from collecting content from media outlets affiliated with three Brazilian press associations and using it to develop or train AI systems. The order suspends an unpaid authorization provision in Meta’s new comm
AI.info Team · Written with AI · fact-checked ·
A São Paulo court on Tuesday (3) prohibited Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, from using bots to collect news articles, photographs, videos and other content from media outlets affiliated with three Brazilian press associations. The ruling also bars the company from using that material to develop or train artificial intelligence systems, including Meta AI.
The order concerns new commercial terms that Meta plans to put into effect on November 20. The lawsuit brought by the associations sought to suspend those terms. According to the associations, the rules would allow Meta to access, copy, store and analyze content from news websites.
The court suspended a provision requiring companies to authorize the use of web scrapers without compensation. The judge ruled that the requirement constituted contractual abuse.
The ruling cites copyright law
The judge said that scraping news websites to feed language models constitutes reproduction of copyrighted works and therefore requires prior authorization. He also said Brazilian law provides no exception for data mining for commercial purposes. The order applies that reasoning to both the collection of covered material and its use to develop or train AI systems.
The judge described Meta’s terms as creating an “insoluble legal trap,” because media outlets publish material created by third parties. The order suspends the unpaid-authorization provision challenged by the associations and prohibits Meta from using bots to collect the covered content or using it in AI development and training.
Fine and deadlines set by the order
The fine for noncompliance is R$1 million ($182,400) per day, capped at R$100 million ($18 million). Meta has five days to challenge the ruling. The associations have 30 business days to file their main claim.
Meta was not heard and said it would not comment, Folha reports.
Association executive calls injunction historic
Marcelo Rech, executive president of the Brazilian Newspaper Association, called the injunction “historic.” He said it shows that there are limits to the abuse of economic power by platforms. The ruling came nearly a week after a Norwegian court suspended the same rules, the report also says.