Why is Facebook Getting Rid of the News Tab in the US and Australia?

Last updated on March 5th, 2024 at 02:28 pm

Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has announced that it will shut down the Facebook News tab in the US and Australia in early April 2024. The decision follows a significant drop in usage of the feature, which was launched in 2019 as a way to showcase news content from reputable sources. Meta had previously discontinued the News tab in the UK, France and Germany in 2023.

What is the Facebook News tab?

The Facebook News tab was a dedicated section in the bookmarks menu on the Facebook app that displayed news articles from various publishers. Meta claimed that the News tab was designed to “bring people closer to the stories that affect their lives” and to support quality journalism. Meta also paid some publishers to participate in the News tab, as part of its efforts to improve its relationship with the news industry.

Why is Meta getting rid of it?

Meta said that the reason for deprecating the News tab was to “better align our investments to our products and services people value the most”. The company said that it had to focus on things that people wanted to see more of on the platform, such as short-form video. Meta also revealed that the number of people using the News tab in the US and Australia had dropped by over 80% last year.

Meta’s decision to exit the news distribution business comes after years of controversies related to how it handled misinformation, hate speech, and other content moderation issues on its platforms. Meta faced criticism from lawmakers, regulators, and civil society groups for its role in spreading false or harmful information, especially during elections and public health crises. Meta also faced backlash from some publishers and governments for its dominance over the online advertising market and its impact on the sustainability of the news industry.

How will this affect users and publishers?

Meta said that the changes affecting the News tab will not impact its other products and services in the US and Australia. Users will still be able to view news articles on Facebook in their feed, and publishers will still be able to post their content and direct people to their websites. Meta also said that news organizations can still use products like Reels and its ads system to reach broader audiences and drive revenue.

However, some experts and advocates have expressed concern over Meta’s move, saying that it will reduce the visibility and diversity of news sources on Facebook, and potentially increase the spread of misinformation and polarization. Some publishers have also expressed disappointment over Meta’s decision, saying that it will hurt their traffic and revenue, and undermine their efforts to build trust and loyalty with their audiences.

Meta said that it will honor its existing agreements with publishers in Australia, France and Germany until they expire, but it will not enter into new deals for news content in these countries or offer new products specifically for news publishers in the future. Meta also said that it remains committed to connecting people to reliable information on its platforms, and that it will continue to invest in initiatives that support journalism and media literacy.