NY Legislative Update: New York Legislature is First in the Nation to Pass Legislation Prohibiting AI Bot “Stealth Crawlers”

For years, large language AI models have used “crawlers” to access broadcasters' websites and digital platforms to extract content from them.  This information is then used to train large language AI model systems.  This is done without obtaining permission or compensating broadcasters.

The legislation requires any entity using a crawler to access a station’s digital platform or webpage to disclose that it is scanning the website.  It must disclose its identity and the purpose for which it is scanning the website.  “Bots” that fail to disclose their presence may be liable for fines up to $15,000 per day.  The NY Attorney General is authorized to bring an action in court.

Importantly, this legislation does not ban the use of crawlers in New York.  It imposes liability in instances where an entity fails to disclose that it is using a crawler on a news website or digital platform.  By banning “stealth” crawlers, the legislation helps stations protect their news content.  In essence, this is a “trespass bill” that prevents entities from trespassing on our digital platforms and scraping content without our permission.

New York is the first state in the nation to adopt this type of legislation.  It will help protect our efforts to provide original local news.  We are looking forward to working with Governor Hochul to get the legislation signed into law.   

You can see the bill here.