Meta Trials Charging Users for Sharing Links, Potentially Dealing a Blow to Publishers
Meta, the company behind Facebook, is running a small-scale trial where profiles without a Meta Verified account could be restricted to posting just two links to other sites per month.
The Trial's Parameters
This pilot program currently involves a selection of Facebook profiles operating in Professional Mode, which is typically utilized by content creators to earn money from their posts. While news organizations are not part of this test, the broader impact could be significant.
"Starting 16 December, some Facebook accounts without Meta Verified will be limited to sharing two organic posts per month."
A History of Retreat
This action comes after years of Meta strategic withdrawal from hosting news content. Media consultants note that after withdrawing from publisher payments and restricting news sharing in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is not a priority.
Publishers previously faced a massive drop in online traffic following a policy change last year to de-prioritise 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.
The Push for Subscriptions
The new test is seen as part of a wider effort to encourage users to subscribe to Meta Verified. This subscription service costs from £9.99 to nearly £400 monthly and provides additional perks like a blue checkmark and enhanced security.
- A company representative said: "This is a limited test to understand whether the option to post an greater number of posts with links provides extra benefit for paying users."
- Analysts theorize this shift towards monetization may be linked to Meta's expensive ventures in other areas, like the virtual reality and AI.
Could News Benefit Elsewhere?
It is worth noting that earlier in the year, Meta announced a shift towards a tailored feed for political content. Later reports indicated this may have led to more news content showing up again for some users.
As one instance, visitors referred by Facebook to some major sites reportedly grew by a notable margin in the first part of 2025.
In the end, this test highlights the continuing struggle between social media platforms seeking new revenue streams and publishers that rely on them for traffic and audience reach.