Norwegian publishers ask Oslo court to block Meta AI terms

Ten of Norway's largest media organizations, including public broadcaster NRK, news agency NTB and publishers Schibsted, Amedia, Polaris and Aller, asked the Oslo District Court on October 27 for a provisional injunction to stop Meta's new Commercial Terms from taking effect, Euronews reported.

The terms, announced October 8, would let Meta collect articles, photos and videos from publisher sites, including content kept behind a paywall, and use them to develop artificial intelligence products. The only alternative Meta offers business-account holders is losing their Facebook and Instagram presence entirely. The coalition calls this an "all-or-nothing" choice.

"Meta uses media groups' investments to develop artificial intelligence services that compete with them directly. This is both unacceptable and distorts competition," said Lene Eltvik Vindfeld, head of the Norwegian Media Businesses' Association (MBL).

Meta had already postponed the rollout once, from October 30 to November 20, saying the delay was "to allow more time for us to explain to our partners and stakeholders what's changing and what's not." The injunction asks the court to hold the line past that date, pending a ruling on whether the terms are lawful at all.