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Meta, the company behind Facebook, is conducting a limited test where users without a Meta Verified account could be restricted to sharing only two links to other sites per month.

Details of the Test

This experiment at present includes a selection of Facebook profiles operating in Professional Mode, which is typically utilized by creators and influencers to monetize their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the broader impact could be significant.

"Starting 16 December, certain Facebook profiles without Meta Verified will be restricted to posting two organic posts per month."

A History of Retreat

This action comes after Meta's multi-year strategic withdrawal from news distribution. 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 previously faced a massive drop 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 encourage users 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.

• 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 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 could have resulted in increased publisher content showing up again for some users.

For example, 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 social media platforms seeking fresh income sources and news organizations that depend upon them for readers and visibility.