Facebook is testing a system that charges users for sharing web links, in a move that could prove to be a further blow to news outlets and other publishers.
Meta, the social media platform’s owner, said it is carrying out a “limited test” in which those without a paid Meta Verified subscription, costing at least £9.99 a month, can only post two external links a month.
The test appears to involve a subset of Facebook pages and user profiles on Professional Mode, which includes features used by content creators to monetise their posts.
News organisations are not included in the test. However, the move could hit newsrooms and other media publishers as it may stop their users from sharing their content.
The latest trial is part of a campaign to find ways of encouraging Facebook users to sign up to Meta Verified, which costs from £9.99 up to almost £400 per month per profile depending on the tier. It offers extra account features and security.
For most people I’ve talked to it’s usually the “It’s the only way to keep up with (friends family etc)” excuse.
Facebook absolutely sucks. I deleted my account in 2019 but I do understand where people are coming from… It was once a decent(ish) place when I joined around 2007/8, but it’s just not worth the bullshit anymore.
Would be nice if there is ever an alternative to come along (pref open source) that everyone can agree on that isn’t so shitty, but I doubt that’ll happen unless fb burns to the ground first.