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Facebook's parent company, Meta, is running a small-scale trial where users without a Meta Verified account may be limited to posting just two links to other sites per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This experiment at present includes a selection of Facebook profiles 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 prove substantial.

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

Stepping Back from News

This action comes after Meta's multi-year strategic withdrawal from hosting news content. Media consultants point out that after ending deals to pay publishers and blocking news links in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is not a priority.

Media companies previously faced a steep decline in website visitors following a 2023 decision to show less 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.

Driving Verified Sign-ups

This latest trial is seen as part of a broader campaign to persuade people to subscribe to Meta Verified. This paid tier costs 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 limited test to see if the option to post an greater number of posts with links adds additional value for paying users."
• Analysts theorize this move to charge for reach may be linked to Meta's expensive ventures in other areas, like the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

A Potential Silver Lining?

It is worth noting that in January, Meta stated it would take towards a more personalized approach for political content. Later reports indicated this could have resulted in increased publisher content reappearing in feeds for some users.

As one instance, visitors referred by Facebook to certain newspaper websites reportedly grew by a notable margin in the first part of 2025.

In the end, this test highlights the continuing struggle between giant tech networks seeking fresh income sources and news organizations that rely on them for readers and visibility.