Facebook Trials User Fees for Posting Web Links, Potentially Striking a Hard Blow to Publishers

Meta, the company behind Facebook, is running a small-scale trial where profiles without a paid subscription could be restricted to posting just two links to other sites per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This pilot program at present includes a selection of Facebook profiles operating in Professional Mode, which is typically utilized by content creators to monetize their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the long-term implications could be significant.

"Starting 16 December, some Facebook accounts without Meta Verified will be limited to sharing two free posts per month."

Stepping Back from News

This move follows Meta's multi-year strategic withdrawal from news distribution. Industry analysts point out that after withdrawing from publisher payments and restricting news sharing in Canada, Meta has made it clear that news is not a priority.

Publishers previously faced a massive drop in online traffic following a 2023 decision to show less news in favor of more videos and viral content. Although visits were starting to rebound in 2024, it was still lower by around 50% compared to the previous year.

Driving Verified Sign-ups

The new test is seen as part of a wider effort to persuade people to sign up for Meta Verified. This subscription service ranges in price from £9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and offers extra features like a blue checkmark and enhanced security.

• Meta's spokesperson stated: "This is a limited test to see if the option to post an greater number of posts with links provides extra benefit for paying users."
• Analysts theorize this move to charge for reach may be linked to Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

A Potential Silver Lining?

It is worth noting that in January, Meta stated it would take towards a tailored feed for political content. Later reports indicated this could have resulted in increased publisher content reappearing in feeds for some users.

As one instance, traffic from Facebook to some major sites was said to increase by a notable margin in the early months of this year.

In the end, this test highlights the ongoing tension between social media platforms seeking new revenue streams and news organizations that depend upon them for readers and visibility.