What is meta-externalads? AI crawler guide
meta-externalads is a crawler or fetcher associated with Meta. See source-graded user-agent, robots.txt, verification, and observation guidance.
What is meta-externalads?
meta-externalads is a documented Meta crawler or fetcher. Meta crawler for use cases such as improving advertising and other business-related products and services.
Evidence status
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Evidence | Officially documented |
| Lifecycle | Active |
| Purpose | other |
| robots.txt posture | honors |
| Source checked | 2026-09-17 |
Documented user-agent
meta-externalads/1.1 (+https://developers.facebook.com/docs/sharing/webmasters/web-crawlers)
robots.txt allow example
User-agent: meta-externalads Allow: /
robots.txt block example
User-agent: meta-externalads Disallow: /
What the rule can and cannot do
Robots.txt expresses an access policy to compliant automated crawlers. It does not authenticate the sender, remove content already collected, or guarantee that a model will use or not use content.
How to verify a request
- Match the complete documented user-agent where one exists. A match is only a clue.
- Look for operator-published IP ranges, reverse DNS, or signed-request guidance. None is attached to this record.
- Keep the observed request, operator documentation, and any inference as separate fields.
JavaScript behavior
The cited operator material does not verify JavaScript rendering. Serve useful HTML before client-side JavaScript where possible.
Related bots
- Meta-ExternalFetcher: Also operated by Meta, for user-requested fetches.
- facebookexternalhit: Also operated by Meta, used for link previews.
- Meta-ExternalAgent: Also operated by Meta, documented on the same crawler page.
- Google-CloudVertexBot: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- Amazonbot: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- GoogleOther: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- ApifyBot: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- ImagesiftBot: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- OAI-AdsBot: Also tracked as a general crawler.
- AI Training Opt-Out: meta-externalads gives crawler context for AI Training Opt-Out.
- Meta AI: meta-externalads connects this operator term to its crawler behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is meta-externalads?
meta-externalads is a officially documented crawler or fetcher record associated with Meta.
What user-agent does meta-externalads use?
meta-externalads/1.1 (+https://developers.facebook.com/docs/sharing/webmasters/web-crawlers). Check the evidence status before attributing a matching request.
Can meta-externalads be blocked in robots.txt?
The record identifies meta-externalads as the token to review. Robots.txt is a request policy, not proof of model use or non-use.
How can I verify a meta-externalads request?
Treat the user-agent as a clue and look for operator-published IP, reverse-DNS, or signature guidance.
Data & Sources
- Meta documentation - Primary source for meta-externalads crawler details.