Facebook Trials Charging Users for Sharing Links, Possibly Dealing a Blow to Publishers
Facebook's parent company, Meta, is conducting a limited test where users without a Meta Verified account may be limited to posting just two external web links per month.
Details of the Test
This pilot program at present includes a subset of Facebook pages using Professional Mode features, which is typically utilized by creators and influencers to monetize their posts. While news organizations are not part of this test, the long-term implications could be significant.
"Starting 16 December, certain Facebook profiles without Meta Verified will be limited to sharing two organic posts per month."
Stepping Back from News
This action comes after Meta's multi-year deliberately retreating from news distribution. Industry analysts note that after ending deals to pay publishers and blocking news links in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is not a priority.
Publishers previously faced a steep decline in online traffic following a 2023 decision to show less news in favor of more videos and viral content. While traffic had been recovering in 2024, it was still lower by approximately half compared to the previous year.
The Push for Subscriptions
This latest trial is understood to be a broader campaign to persuade people to subscribe to Meta Verified. This paid tier ranges in price from £9.99 to nearly £400 monthly and offers extra features like a verified badge and enhanced security.
- A company representative said: "This is a small experiment to see if the option to post an greater number of posts with links adds additional value for Meta Verified subscribers."
- Analysts theorize this shift towards monetization may be connected with Meta's expensive ventures in other areas, like the virtual reality and AI.
A Potential Silver Lining?
Interestingly that in January, Meta announced a shift towards a tailored feed for political content. Subsequent analysis indicated this may have led to increased publisher content reappearing in feeds for some users.
As one instance, traffic from Facebook to some major sites reportedly grew significantly in the first part of 2025.
Ultimately, this test highlights the ongoing tension between social media platforms seeking fresh income sources and publishers that depend upon them for readers and visibility.
