Cloudflare Expands Project Galileo to Shield Independent Media and Non-Profits from AI Crawlers

San Francisco, CA, September 24, 2025 – Cloudflare has expanded its long-standing Project Galileo initiative to help non-profits and independent media protect their content from AI crawlers.

Earlier this year, Cloudflare became the first internet infrastructure provider to block AI crawlers by default — unless explicit permission or compensation is given by content owners.

Recently, it also announced a major expansion to its Cloudflare One Zero Trust platform, unveiling new features aimed at helping businesses securely adopt and manage generative AI applications.

Under the Galileo programme, more than 750 participants—including journalists, news outlets, and public-interest organisations worldwide—will gain free access to Cloudflare’s Bot Management and AI Crawl Control tools.

As AI services increasingly source information without directing users back to original publishers, smaller news organizations face shrinking traffic, reduced ad revenues, and heightened risks to sustainability. Cloudflare’s initiative aims to give these outlets more control over how their work is accessed and reused in the AI-driven web.

“I believe in journalism, and I believe that the health of local, independent news is essential for a healthy Internet and a healthy society,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “When we started Project Galileo, we wanted to help stop cyberattacks from suppressing the online voices of journalists and human rights workers. Now, that vision is expanding and we want to ensure the evolution of AI works in their favor, not against it.”

The move is being welcomed by media organisations globally. “In an era defined by AI and digital disruption, providing robust tools to independent media isn’t just support—it’s a lifeline,” said Meera Selva, CEO of Internews Europe.

Sarah Gustavus Lim of LION added, “Independent publishers need tools that are easy to use and affordable.”

Ryan Powell of IPI emphasised the business case: “By monitoring and monetizing crawling, media can protect their intellectual property while developing new revenue streams.”