Facebook is testing a limit on the number of links some users can share when posting on the social media platform.
The notices seen by some UK and US users say they can only share a certain number of links in Facebook posts without a subscription, which starts at £9.99 per month.
Meta described it as a “limited test to see if the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value” to subscribers.
Social media expert Matt Navarra said this means the company is looking to monetize more areas of its platforms.
“It's really less about testing and more about bringing survival features together within a subscription,” he told the BBC.
Meta Verified offers Facebook and Instagram users a blue check, “enhanced” account support and anti-impersonation protection.
Mr. Navarra said that having already priced such features, the company now appears to be doing the same for content distribution and the “basic ability to send people” to other parts of the Internet.
He was among those recently notified of Facebook's testing. having received notification stating that as of December 16, he will only be able to share two links per month in Facebook posts.
“If you're a creator or a business person, I think the bottom line is that if Facebook is part of your growth or traffic strategy, there's now a price tag attached to accessing it,” Mr Navarra told the BBC.
“And it’s new in its clarity, even if that’s been the direction of travel for a while.”
Along with other social platforms such as LinkedIn, Meta encourages users to check in with themselves to unlock more features or interactions on their platforms.
Elon Musk overhauled Twitter's verification scheme after buying the platform in 2022, with blue verified X checkmarks reserved for those who pay and giving owners increased presence in post replies and the For You feed.
This proved controversial because The EU fined him €120m (£105m) in December.
However, Mark Zuckerberg's company Meta has implemented a similar scheme. shortly after that.
The company said it would also replicate Musk's changes to X with a “community notes” tool that allows users to flag misleading posts. after moderation reduction and fact checking.
Facebook told technology news publication TechCrunch its link restriction test applied to a select group of users of its “pro mode” or pages.
These features are used by many creators and companies to promote content on the platform and gain insight into how it performs with users.
“For creators, this confirms the rather harsh reality that Facebook is no longer a reliable source of traffic, and Meta is increasingly alienating it from people trying to exploit it as such,” Mr. Navarra said.
He said it also served as a reminder that “Meta is always optimized for Meta first.”
“Tests like this highlight why building a business that is overly reliant on the reputation of any one platform is incredibly risky,” he said.
