Meta Tests Charging Users for Posting Web Links, Potentially Striking a Hard Blow to News Outlets

Meta, the company behind Facebook, is running a small-scale trial where users without a paid subscription could be restricted to sharing only two external web links per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This pilot program at present includes a selection of Facebook profiles using Professional Mode features, which is often used by creators and influencers to earn money from their posts. While news organizations are not part of this test, the long-term implications could prove substantial.

"Starting 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 hosting news content. Media consultants note that after withdrawing from publisher payments and blocking news links in Canada, Meta has made it clear that news is not a priority.

Publishers already experienced a massive drop in website visitors following a policy change last year to show less news in favor of more videos and viral content. While traffic had been recovering in 2024, it remained down by approximately half compared to the previous year.

The Push for Subscriptions

The new test is understood to be a broader campaign to persuade people to sign up for Meta Verified. This paid tier ranges in price from £9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and offers extra features like a verified badge and improved account protection.

• Meta's spokesperson stated: "This is a limited test to see if the ability to publish an greater number of posts with links adds additional value for Meta Verified subscribers."
• Analysts theorize this shift towards monetization may be linked to Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Could News Benefit Elsewhere?

Interestingly that earlier in the year, Meta stated it would take towards a more personalized approach for political content. Subsequent analysis indicated this could have resulted in increased publisher content reappearing in feeds for some users.

As one instance, visitors referred by Facebook to certain newspaper websites reportedly grew by a notable margin in the early months of this year.

In the end, this test highlights the continuing struggle between social media platforms seeking new revenue streams and news organizations that rely on them for traffic and audience reach.