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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 posting just two external web links per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This experiment at present includes a subset of Facebook pages operating in Professional Mode, which is typically utilized by content creators to monetize their posts. Although publishers are excluded from this trial, the broader impact could prove substantial.

"Beginning 16 December, some Facebook accounts without Meta Verified will be limited to sharing two free posts per month."

Stepping Back from News

This action comes after years of Meta strategic withdrawal from hosting news content. Industry analysts point out that after withdrawing from publisher payments and restricting news sharing in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is no longer strategic.

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. Although visits were starting to rebound in 2024, it remained down by approximately half compared to the previous year.

The Push for Subscriptions

This latest trial is understood to be a broader campaign to encourage users to subscribe to Meta Verified. This paid tier ranges in price from £9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and offers extra features like a verified badge and improved account protection.

• A company representative said: "This is a small experiment to understand whether the ability to publish an greater number of posts with links provides extra benefit for paying users."
• Analysts theorize this move to charge for reach may be linked to Meta's costly investments in other areas, like the virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Could News Benefit Elsewhere?

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

As one instance, visitors referred by Facebook to certain newspaper websites was said to increase significantly in the first part of 2025.

In the end, this test highlights the continuing struggle between social media platforms seeking new revenue streams and news organizations that rely on them for traffic and audience reach.