Meta Trials Charging Users for Posting Web Links, Possibly Striking a Hard Blow to Publishers
Meta, the company behind Facebook, is running a small-scale trial where users without a paid subscription could be restricted to posting just two external web links per month.
Details of the Test
This experiment at present includes a subset of Facebook pages operating in Professional Mode, which is often used by content creators to earn money from their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the broader impact could be significant.
"Beginning 16 December, some Facebook accounts without Meta Verified will be restricted to posting two organic posts per month."
Stepping Back from News
This action comes after years of Meta strategic withdrawal from news distribution. Media consultants point out that after withdrawing from publisher payments and restricting news sharing in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is no longer strategic.
Media companies previously faced a steep decline in website visitors following a policy change last year to show less news in favor of short-form and engaging video. Although visits were starting to rebound in 2024, it was still lower by around 50% compared to the previous year.
The Push for Subscriptions
The new test is seen as part of a broader campaign to persuade people to sign up for Meta Verified. This subscription service ranges in price from £9.99 to nearly £400 monthly and provides additional perks like a verified badge and improved account protection.
- A company representative said: "This is a small experiment to see if the option to post an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value for paying users."
- Analysts theorize this shift towards monetization may be connected with Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
A Potential Silver Lining?
Interestingly that earlier in the year, Meta announced a shift towards a tailored feed for political content. Later reports indicated this may have led to more news content showing up again for some users.
As one instance, visitors referred by Facebook to some major sites was said to increase significantly in the early months of this year.
In the end, this trial underscores the ongoing tension between giant tech networks seeking new revenue streams and news organizations that depend upon them for traffic and audience reach.
