CMA opens abuse-of-dominance case over Meta's terms for publisher content

CMA opens abuse-of-dominance case over Meta's terms for publisher content

30 October 2026: The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a Competition Act investigation into whether Meta is abusing a dominant position through commercial terms that would let it collect content from the websites of publishers and other businesses that use its services, and use it to build its own products, including AI features, without giving those businesses a say. Meta has paused the terms while it consults industry groups.

Two delays, then a pause

We reported the terms when Meta set them to start on 30 October. According to the CMA, Meta pushed that to 20 November after engaging with the authority, then announced on 28 October that it was pausing the roll-out pending a consultation with industry groups. The investigation goes ahead regardless: the CMA wants to establish whether Meta holds a dominant position in a UK market and whether requiring businesses to accept such terms is an unfair trading condition imposed on "thousands of UK businesses that rely on its services".

The complaints came from stakeholders including the News Media Association and Movement for an Open Web. Sarah Cardell, the CMA's chief executive, said the authority would be "working to reach a swift and satisfactory resolution to this case".

Why the CMA chose the Competition Act

The UK's newer digital markets regime lets the CMA set conduct rules only for firms it has designated with strategic market status, and Meta has not been designated. The CMA says it is keeping candidates under review, with the next proposals going to its board in spring 2027. Until then, the Chapter II prohibition of the Competition Act 1998 on abuse of dominance is the tool available, and it allows interim measures where temporary action is needed to prevent significant damage. The CMA stresses that no decision has been made on whether Meta broke the law; it will now gather evidence from Meta and from affected businesses.

A separate look at Meta One and link posts

Outside this case, the CMA is asking Meta for information about its new Meta One business subscription, and about concerns from the Federation of Small Businesses over what happens to small firms that post external links on Facebook and Instagram without paying for a subscription. It has not decided whether to take formal action on either.

What a business on Meta's platforms can do now

The paused terms are not in force, so there is nothing to accept or opt out of today. A publisher or brand that objects to its site content being used for Meta's AI can still decide at the website level what Meta's crawlers may fetch. Our social media management software category lists 12 products. The case page will carry the next steps.

Related on TrustList:

• Kuwait issues a new Media Regulation Law replacing its electronic media law: in force in six months
• Meta terms let its crawlers index business websites from 20 November

Sources

• CMA: CMA opens investigation into Meta's commercial terms, 30 October 2026
• CMA: Suspected abuse of a dominant position in relation to Meta's commercial terms (case page), 30 October 2026