New Delhi: Facebook to Halt Payments to News Publishers, Scrap News Tab from Feed

NEW DELHI: Facebook has recently announced as it had decided to stop paying journalists, and removed news tabs from its platform in the US. and Australia. This move mirrors similar plans in the United Kingdom, France and Germany, as revealed in September 2023. This decision of Facebook stems from a decline in consumption of news-related content, which last year reported a drop of more than 80 per cent in Australia and the US. Inspite of the removal of the News Tab, the Facebook users will still be able to receive news through their shared connections.

The journalists on the other hand will continue to have access to their accounts and pages, allowing them to share links to their content and show traffic to their websites. In addition to that the publishers can now use features like reels and ad systems in order to extend the reach of their audience, and keep 100% of the revenue generated from outbound links on Facebook .

Facebook clarified that existing deals with publishers in Australia, France and Germany will remain intact, while deals have already been finalized in the US. and the UK. Also the company further confirmed that it would not introduce any other new business models for traditional media in the countries neither would it introduce new media-specific products in the future.

Apart from these changes the Facebook platform confirms the users about its commitment to providing with the reliable and resourceful information on its platforms. The company further partners with third-party fact-checkers recognized by organizations such as the International Fact-Checking Network to combat misinformation.

Since the year 2016, Facebook has invested more than $150 million in programs to support fact-finding efforts and plans to sustain this investment. The removal of the News tab from the Facebook feed marks an important strategic shift, with the company focusing on users and raising questions about the future of news a use of the platform and wider impact on the media.

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