Facebook is testing a fee for sharing links, 'changing the rules of the game' for content distribution.

Facebook is quietly testing a change that could disrupt how content is distributed on the platform.

Meta is testing restrictions on link sharing.

Meta—Facebook's parent company—is beginning to limit the number of links users can post each month, unless they subscribe to a paid Meta Verified plan.

The information was first discovered by social media strategy expert Matt Navarra, when some professional Facebook accounts and pages received notifications limiting them to a maximum of two organic links per month. To post more, users were forced to pay a fee.

Link limits and specific fees

According to screenshots released by Navarra, accounts that haven't registered for Meta Verified will only be able to share two links in regular posts. Meanwhile, the Meta Verified package for content creators and businesses starts at $9.99 to $14.99 per month depending on the market, with higher packages costing hundreds of dollars depending on features.

Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that this is a limited test, aimed at evaluating whether allowing more links to be posted provides "added value" for paying users. Currently, the test only applies to profiles using professional mode and Facebook pages.

It's worth noting that not all links are restricted. Participants in the experiment can still post affiliate marketing links, place links in comments, and share links to platforms within the Meta ecosystem such as Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp.

Meta also stated that news publishers are not currently included in the trial. However, they could still be indirectly affected if users are no longer able to widely share articles containing links.

Facebook no longer prioritizes driving traffic outwards.

This move is no coincidence. In its Q3 transparency report, Meta stated that over 98% of news feed views in the US come from posts without links. Only about 1.9% of views come from posts with links, and the majority of those originate from pages users already follow.

This data shows that Facebook's algorithm is increasingly prioritizing original content over posts that drive users away from the platform. The most shared domains now include YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe – platforms that compete with Meta for both attention and revenue.

With this new experiment, content creators, KOLs, and small brands—who rely on Facebook to drive traffic to their blogs, websites, or newsletters—will have to choose: change their content strategy or pay to maintain the old ways.

Matt Navarra argues that this is a clear signal that Facebook is no longer the reliable traffic channel it once was. Instead, Meta is promoting a closed model where content, interaction, and monetization all take place within its own ecosystem.

Facebook's experiment reflects a larger trend unfolding on the internet. The rise of AI content summarization, in-app publishing tools, and algorithms that prioritize original content is increasingly undermining the link-based web.

Previously, platform X also experimented with reducing the visibility of posts containing external links. The common goal of social networks is to keep users on the site for as long as possible, rather than redirecting them to other websites.

Although Meta claims this is just a small experiment, its significance is far from insignificant. Turning the act of sharing links – a fundamental feature of social media – into a paid service demonstrates how Meta is redefining the value of visibility.

If the experiment is expanded, content creators will be forced to optimize each link, redirect links to comments, or focus more heavily on native content formats such as Reels, short videos , and plain text articles.

PHAN HAI DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/facebook-thu-nghiem-tinh-phi-chia-se-link-doi-luat-choi-phan-phoi-noi-dung-20251219132250789.htm