Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has announced its decision to discontinue the “Facebook News” feature on its social media app in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany later this year. This move marks a significant shift in Meta’s strategy and raises questions about the future of news consumption on the platform.
With the discontinuation of the “Facebook News” feature, users in these countries will still be able to view links to news articles. European news publishers will also retain access to their Facebook accounts and pages. However, Meta will no longer form new commercial deals for news content on “Facebook News” in the aforementioned countries, nor offer product innovations specifically tailored for news publishers.
“Facebook News,” which curates a feed of news articles, is currently featured as a dedicated tab in the bookmarks section of the Facebook app. Despite its prominence, Meta highlights that news only makes up a small fraction, less than 3 percent, of the content users see in their Facebook feed. This suggests that news discovery is a relatively minor part of the overall Facebook experience for the majority of users.
Alongside other tech giants like Alphabet, Meta has faced increasing pressure from lawmakers worldwide to share a higher percentage of its advertising revenue with news publishers. This scrutiny has prompted Meta to take measures such as blocking news on its Facebook and Instagram platforms for all users in Canada, in response to a new law mandating payment to news publishers. Australia has also implemented a similar law in 2021.
In a blog post, Meta states that this decision is in line with the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance its products and services. It asserts that users primarily come to Facebook to connect with people and explore new opportunities, rather than seeking out news and political content. As such, Meta seeks to streamline its platform and focus on its core purpose, shifting away from the news-centric features.
The discontinuation of “Facebook News” in the UK, France, and Germany raises questions about the future of news consumption on the platform. While users will still have access to news articles through shared links, the absence of a dedicated news feed may impact the discoverability and accessibility of news content. News publishers will also need to adapt to this change, as they will no longer have the same level of support and opportunities for collaboration with Facebook.
Meta Platforms’ decision to discontinue the “Facebook News” feature in the UK, France, and Germany reflects the company’s evolving strategy and its prioritization of connecting people and fostering new opportunities. This shift away from news-centric features raises important considerations about the future of news consumption on Facebook and the implications for news publishers. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, both users and publishers will need to adapt to these changes and find alternative means of accessing and sharing news content.
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