Meta Trials Charging Users for Sharing Links, Potentially Dealing a Blow to News Outlets
Meta, the company behind Facebook, is conducting a limited test where profiles without a paid subscription may be limited to sharing only two links to other sites per month.
The Trial's Parameters
This pilot program currently involves a subset of Facebook pages using Professional Mode features, which is often used by creators and influencers to monetize their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the long-term implications could be significant.
"Starting 16 December, certain Facebook profiles without Meta Verified will be restricted to posting two free posts per month."
Stepping Back from News
This action comes after Meta's multi-year deliberately retreating from news distribution. Media consultants point out that after ending deals to pay publishers and blocking news links in Canada, Meta has made it clear that news is not a priority.
Publishers previously faced a steep decline in website visitors following a 2023 decision 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.
Driving Verified Sign-ups
This latest trial is understood to be a wider effort to persuade people to sign up for Meta Verified. This subscription service costs from ÂŁ9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and provides additional perks like a blue checkmark and improved account protection.
- Meta's spokesperson stated: "This is a limited test to understand whether the option to post an greater number of posts with links provides extra benefit for Meta Verified subscribers."
- Analysts theorize this move to charge for reach may be linked to Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the metaverse and AI.
Could News Benefit Elsewhere?
Interestingly that in January, Meta announced a shift towards a more personalized approach for political content. Later reports indicated this could have resulted in increased publisher content showing up again for some users.
As one instance, traffic from Facebook to some major sites was said to increase by a notable margin in the first part of 2025.
In the end, this trial underscores the continuing struggle between social media platforms seeking fresh income sources and publishers that rely on them for readers and visibility.
