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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 external web links per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This experiment currently involves a subset of Facebook pages operating in Professional Mode, which is typically utilized by creators and influencers to monetize their posts. While news organizations are not part of this test, the broader impact could prove substantial.

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

Stepping Back from News

This move follows Meta's multi-year deliberately retreating from hosting news content. 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.

Media companies previously faced a massive drop in online traffic following a policy change last year to show less news in favor of short-form and engaging video. Although visits were starting to rebound in 2024, it was still lower by approximately half compared to the previous year.

Driving Verified Sign-ups

The new test is understood to be a broader campaign to encourage users to sign up for Meta Verified. This paid tier costs from £9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and provides additional perks like a verified badge and enhanced security.

• Meta's spokesperson stated: "This is a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an greater number 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 metaverse and AI.

Could News Benefit Elsewhere?

Interestingly that in January, Meta stated it would take towards a more personalized approach for news and politics. Later reports indicated this could have resulted in more news content showing up again for some users.

For example, visitors referred by Facebook to some major sites was said to increase by a notable margin in the early months of this year.

In the end, this trial underscores the continuing struggle between giant tech networks seeking fresh income sources and news organizations that depend upon them for traffic and audience reach.