NORWAY · TECHNOLOGY AND LAW
Key Facts
- The ruling Oslo District Court issued an interim injunction against Meta on Wednesday 28 October 2026.
- The order Meta may not apply its changed commercial terms until their lawfulness is finally decided.
- The claimants Ten Norwegian media groups, backed by trade body MBL, announced the request on 27 October.
- The concern Publishers say the terms would let Meta fetch all website content, paywalled pieces included.
A Norwegian court has stopped Meta from applying new commercial terms for Facebook and Instagram business accounts. Oslo District Court issued the interim injunction on Wednesday 28 October 2026, six days before a São Paulo order on the same terms was announced.
For US readers, the order shows a European court treating a US platform’s terms as something publishers can challenge before they take effect. Our explainer puts the Oslo order next to the Brazilian one.
What the Court Ordered
According to MBL, the Norwegian media companies’ trade body, the court forbade Meta to carry out the changes to its commercial terms. The ban lasts until the lawfulness of the changes is finally and bindingly decided.
The order is an interim injunction, a provisional measure granted before the main case is heard. It does not yet say whether the terms are lawful.
Who Asked for It
Ten Norwegian media groups asked the court to act. MBL published the announcement of the request on Tuesday 27 October 2026, and it targets Meta’s new commercial terms.
MBL says Norway is the first country where media companies have asked a court to stop these terms. MBL’s chair says the media groups go first because they have the most to lose, although the terms touch every Norwegian business with a Facebook or Instagram page.
What the Publishers Said Was at Stake
MBL says the terms would let Meta retrieve all content from the media companies’ websites, including content behind paywalls. It says publishers would have no option to refuse, and that the only way out would be to delete their accounts.
In its court filing announcement, MBL set out three demands. A reservation such as robots.txt, a file that tells crawlers what they may not copy, must be written into the contract, and any use of journalism for AI needs a separate voluntary agreement, with no loss of reach for saying no.
What MBL Says the Court Found
MBL’s chair says the court agreed that Meta has a dominant position in the relevant market and that the new terms are unreasonable. That is MBL’s account, and we have not seen the written ruling.
In its 27 October note, MBL also says the Norwegian government should set clear requirements for how platforms treat Norwegian media. A São Paulo order was announced on 3 November, and our guide to the terms explains the terms at issue in both cases.
What It Means for You
If you run a Facebook or Instagram business page in Norway, whether the order protects you has not been published. Meta is barred from implementing the changes, but who beyond the applicants is covered is not stated.
The Brazilian associations say Meta’s commercial terms are due to start on Friday 20 November 2026. Whether that date applies in Norway, or whether the order reaches beyond Norway, is not stated.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the order protects only the ten media groups or every Norwegian business account. It is also not known whether Meta was heard before the court decided, or whether Meta will appeal.
The written ruling is not published in the material we reviewed. MBL’s account is our only description of the court’s reasoning.
More: Meta, AI and news: the full dossier, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Oslo District Court Order?
On 28 October 2026 it barred Meta from carrying out the changes to its commercial terms until their lawfulness is finally decided, according to the Norwegian media trade body MBL. The order is provisional.
Who Brought the Case Against Meta?
Ten Norwegian media groups asked for the injunction, with their trade body MBL publishing the announcement. The request concerns Meta’s new commercial terms.
Does the Order Apply Outside Norway?
The sources do not say whether the order reaches outside Norway. The Brazilian associations say the terms are due to start on 20 November, and a São Paulo court has separately suspended part of them.
Sources: Mediebedriftenes Landsforening (MBL), Norwegian media companies win in court against Meta, 28 October 2026; MBL, Norwegian media companies go to court to stop Meta, 27 October 2026; ANJ, note on the São Paulo injunction, 3 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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