AI search fix
Meta-ExternalAgent explained: what it is and what to do
Meta-ExternalAgent is a user-agent string linked to Meta crawling activity. When it appears in logs, handle it with the same rigour as GPTBot or ClaudeBot: decide whether to permit it, align robots.txt and edge rules, and watch HTTP status codes. Do not block or allow based on the name alone — check current Meta documentation and your traffic patterns first. Permitting Meta-ExternalAgent does not guarantee citations or referral traffic from Meta products.
New user-agents often trigger a panic block-everything response. A steadier approach is documented policy per bot type, validated with logs after each deploy.
How to evaluate Meta-ExternalAgent safely
- Confirm the user-agent in logs and record requested URL paths.
- Decide allow, limit or block based on business and legal requirements.
- Align robots.txt and WAF or CDN settings with that decision.
- Monitor response codes and request volume after changes.
- Revisit policy as Meta updates crawler documentation.
You'll get an HTML report on bot access patterns and likely blocking points.
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