Meta's latest move could change how you get your news on Facebook in the US

Meta’s latest move could change how you get your news on Facebook in the US،

Last year, Meta removed the dedicated Facebook News tab in the UK, France and Germany. Now the company is preparing to do the same in even more countries.

At the beginning of April 2024, Meta will remove Facebook News, a dedicated tab in the Facebook favorites section that highlights news in the United States and Australia. The move is part of Meta's ongoing efforts to align its investments with the products and services people love most, such as short-form videos.

THE official announcement mentioned that the number of people using Facebook News in Australia and the United States fell by more than 80% last year. It turns out that news accounts for less than three percent of what you see on Facebook – which doesn't exactly steal the show. Meta highlighting:

We know that people don't come to Facebook for news and political content, but to connect with people and discover new opportunities, passions and interests.

Facebook News updates will not affect Meta's other offerings in these countries. You can still browse news articles on Facebook as you normally would. News publishers will retain access to their Facebook accounts and pages, allowing them to share links to their stories and direct users to their websites, just like any other person or organization. By removing the News tab in Australia, the company will also stop paying publishers. in the country for their content once their current agreements expire.

A few years ago, Facebook blocked news links in response to a proposed law that would have required companies like Meta to pay media outlets for their content. However, the company re-established information links shortly after negotiations with Australian media began.

Canada also had its own little saga last year when Meta shut down news content from Facebook and Instagram. For what? Well, because of the Online Information Act, which forces large online platforms like Meta to open their wallets and pay for the use of media content.