Meta Trials User Fees for Sharing Links, Potentially Dealing a Blow to News Outlets

Facebook's parent company, Meta, is conducting a limited test where users without a paid subscription could be restricted to posting just two external web links per month.

Details of the Test

This experiment currently involves a selection of Facebook profiles operating in Professional Mode, which is often used by creators and influencers to monetize 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 limited to sharing two free posts per month."

A History of Retreat

This move follows years of Meta 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 no longer strategic.

Media companies already experienced a steep decline in online traffic following a 2023 decision to de-prioritise news in favor of short-form and engaging video. While traffic had been recovering in 2024, it was still lower by around 50% compared to the previous year.

The Push for Subscriptions

This latest trial is seen as part of a wider effort to persuade people to subscribe to Meta Verified. This paid tier costs from £9.99 to nearly £400 monthly and offers extra features like a blue checkmark 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."
• Some experts suggest this shift towards monetization may be linked to Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the virtual reality and AI.

Could News Benefit Elsewhere?

It is worth noting that in January, Meta stated it would take towards a more personalized approach for news and politics. Subsequent analysis indicated this could have resulted in more news content showing up again for some users.

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

Ultimately, this trial underscores the ongoing tension between giant tech networks seeking fresh income sources and publishers that rely on them for readers and visibility.