Meta Tests Charging Users for Posting Web Links, Possibly Dealing a Blow to Publishers

Meta, the company behind Facebook, is conducting a limited test where profiles 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 subset of Facebook pages using Professional Mode features, which is often used by content creators to monetize their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the broader impact could prove substantial.

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

A History of Retreat

This action comes after 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.

Publishers already experienced a steep decline in online traffic 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 remained down by around 50% compared to the previous year.

Driving Verified Sign-ups

The new test is understood to be a broader campaign to persuade people to subscribe to Meta Verified. This subscription service costs 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 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.

A Potential Silver Lining?

It is worth noting that earlier in the year, Meta stated it would take towards a tailored feed for news and politics. Later reports indicated this could have resulted in more news content showing up again for some users.

For example, traffic from Facebook to certain newspaper websites reportedly grew by a notable margin in the early months of this year.

Ultimately, this test highlights the continuing struggle between giant tech networks seeking new revenue streams and publishers that depend upon them for readers and visibility.