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Meta, the company behind Facebook, is conducting a limited test where users without a Meta Verified account may be limited to sharing only two external web links per month.

The Trial's Parameters

This pilot program at present includes a selection of Facebook profiles 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 be significant.

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

A History of Retreat

This move follows years of Meta strategic withdrawal from news distribution. Media consultants note that after ending deals to pay publishers and blocking news links in Canada, Meta has signaled strongly that news is no longer strategic.

Publishers previously faced a steep decline in website visitors 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 remained down by approximately half compared to the previous year.

Driving Verified Sign-ups

This latest trial is understood to be a broader campaign to encourage users to sign up for Meta Verified. This subscription service ranges in price from £9.99 to almost four hundred pounds monthly and provides additional perks like a blue checkmark and improved account protection.

• A company representative said: "This is a limited test to see if the option to post an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value for Meta Verified subscribers."
• Some experts suggest this shift towards monetization 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 earlier in the year, 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.

For example, traffic from Facebook to some major sites was said to increase by a notable margin in the first part of 2025.

Ultimately, this test highlights the ongoing tension between social media platforms seeking fresh income sources and publishers that rely on them for traffic and audience reach.