Swiss publishers are opposing Meta's new terms and conditions, which are due to apply from 30 October 2026. In their view, these rules would allow the US group to collect journalistic content from their websites, without agreement or payment, including to develop artificial intelligence (AI) services. The Verband Schweizer Medien (VSM), the Swiss publishers' association, is therefore backing the call for a suspension launched by the World Association of News Publishers, WAN-IFRA, Inside IT reported on 23 October 2026.
What do Meta's new terms change?
The new terms target content published on publishers' websites. According to the VSM, they would allow Facebook's parent company to take it without the publishers' separate consent. Nor do they provide for any payment for this use, according to the same source.
This is the publishers' reading. The source does not quote the text of the terms, and 2clics has not been able to consult it.
What is the link with AI training?
The link with AI remains at the heart of the dispute. Following criticism, Meta removed an explicit reference to artificial intelligence training from its terms. For the publishers, this removal changes nothing in substance.
According to the VSM, Meta could still use this content to develop its AI services. The publishers are therefore calling for binding protection rules and appropriate payment for the use of their articles.
Where does ancillary copyright stand in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, the debate centres on ancillary copyright, known as Leistungsschutzrecht in German. This right protects the work of press publishers. Two parliamentary initiatives are under way, according to Inside IT.
- Petra Gössi's motion. The FDP member of the Council of States is calling for better protection of intellectual property against AI-related abuse. The publishers are demanding that this text be implemented quickly.
- The National Council vote. In early 2026, the lower house approved an extension of ancillary copyright to AI applications. The aim is to prevent AI providers from commercially exploiting protected content without the consent of the rights holders.
These two steps do not yet amount to a law in force. The publishers are precisely calling for quick implementation, a sign that the protection they want does not yet exist.
Who wants what: the positions at stake
| Player | Position or initiative | Status according to the source |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | New terms and conditions, without explicit reference to AI training | Applicable from 30 October 2026 |
| WAN-IFRA | Calls for these terms to be suspended | Request submitted, Meta's response unknown |
| VSM | Backs WAN-IFRA, calls for protection and payment | Public statement |
| Petra Gössi (FDP) | Motion to protect intellectual property against AI | Implementation demanded by publishers |
| National Council | Extension of ancillary copyright to AI applications | Approved in early 2026 |
Why Swiss media are worried
For Swiss media, what is at stake is the value of their articles. If a large group can collect them freely, publishers lose control over how they are reused. They also lose leverage to negotiate payment.
The call for a suspension and Swiss ancillary copyright respond to the same risk. The former targets Meta in the short term. The latter targets all AI providers, not a single group.
What we do not know yet
- Meta's response to WAN-IFRA's request: the source does not mention it.
- The exact text of the new terms and how the content would be collected.
- The timetable for implementing the Gössi motion and the follow-up to the National Council vote.
- The form and amount of any payment: no figure has been put forward.
- The VSM statement itself: the source does not link to it, and 2clics has not been able to read it.
Sources
- Inside IT: Swiss publishers against Meta (in German, 23 October 2026)
