In early April, Facebook News tab will begin to disappear Users in the US and Australia. Meta has announced that it is removing a custom icon found in the bookmarks section of its social network as part of a “straightening up” effort. [its] investments [its] products and services that people value most.” The company already Canceled the news tab In early December 2023, it explained that in the UK, France and Germany, it is focusing its resources on what people want to see more, such as short-form videos.
In a new post, Meta reported that the number of people using the News tab in the US and Australia has dropped by 80 percent in the past year. News accounts for less than three percent of what users see on Facebook, and it’s not a big part of their experience. “We know people don’t come to Facebook for news and political content — they come to connect with people and discover new opportunities, passions and interests,” the company wrote.
Pulling the News tab in Australia, the company will also stop paying publishers in the country for their content once their current deal ends. A few years ago, Facebook blocked news links in the country in response to a law requiring companies like Meta to pay media organizations for their content. Company unblocked News links just days after starting deals with Australian media organizations.
according to Age, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission estimates that Google and Meta have signed deals worth about $200 million a year with dozens of outlets, including Guardian Australia and News Corp Australia. Meta is responsible for about a third of that total, or $66 million, meaning its decision will have a major impact on the news business in the country. There appears to be no room for negotiation: The company announced in its announcement that it will not enter into a new commercial deal for traditional news content in any region where it has already removed the News tab.
However, Meta has not blocked news links in the countries mentioned above, and Facebook users can still access any news posted on the social network. Publishers can continue to post links to their stories on their official pages as usual.
