Meta: AI Development
Debate between Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath and Baroness Harding of Winscombe(2 weeks ago)
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Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
Meta has publicly stated that website owners can use robots.txt to indicate their preferences about its crawlers, and has reiterated this in our engagement on creator control and transparency. However, we recognise the concerns raised by publishers about whether these assurances provide meaningful and enforceable control over their content. On publishing before 20 November, we recognise that the removal of the word “train” has not resolved the concerns raised about the revised terms, particularly on whether the remaining provisions could still permit content to be used for AI training. Meta disputes that interpretation, and we expect the response shortly.
Baroness Harding of Winscombe (Con)
My Lords, when Meta withdrew news from its platforms in Canada in response to legislation requiring it to pay for it, the gap was filled with disinformation. If UK publishers are forced to choose between surrendering their journalism and leaving Meta’s platform, what assessment have the Government made of the consequences for our public discourse and our society?
Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
We recognise the importance of ensuring that publishers and smaller creators can control and benefit from the use of their content, and we further understand that news publishers rely on traffic, advertising and subscription to support their work. Concerns of the sort that the noble Baroness mentions have been raised about the effects of AI systems accessing and using their content, which is why in March we committed to establish a working group to consider how the Government could support independent and smaller creative organisations in licensing their work, including in journalism. This sits alongside our review of creator control and input transparency.