{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "cloudflare-blocks-ai-crawlers-by-default-july-2025",
  "slug": "cloudflare-blocks-ai-crawlers-by-default-july-2025",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/cloudflare-blocks-ai-crawlers-by-default-july-2025/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/cloudflare-blocks-ai-crawlers-by-default-july-2025.json",
  "claim": "Since July 1, 2025, Cloudflare blocks AI crawlers from accessing content without permission by default",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"Does Cloudflare block AI bots?\"",
  "verdict": "verified",
  "verdict_definition": "Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "rating": {
    "value": 5,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "Cloudflare (press release)",
    "title": "Cloudflare Just Changed How AI Crawlers Scrape the Internet-at-Large (July 1, 2025)",
    "year": "2025"
  },
  "quote": "today announced it is now the first Internet infrastructure provider to block AI crawlers accessing content without permission or compensation, by default. Starting today, website owners can choose if they want AI crawlers to access their content",
  "method": "Company announcement.",
  "drift": [
    "Scope: Cloudflare-protected sites; owners can choose to allow AI crawlers"
  ],
  "interest": "Cloudflare sells the tools and a pay-per-crawl option.",
  "safe_rephrasing": "Cloudflare announced on July 1, 2025 that it blocks AI crawlers from accessing content without permission by default, letting site owners choose whether to allow them.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Cloudflare — press release, July 1, 2025",
      "url": "https://www.cloudflare.com/press/press-releases/2025/cloudflare-just-changed-how-ai-crawlers-scrape-the-internet-at-large/",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "reference_fact",
  "as_of": "Announced July 1, 2025",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}