Related news claimsMeta is quietly testing a highly controversial new policy on the Facebook platform: turning "link-sharing" into a paid feature. If influencers, bloggers, or group-buying sellers who rely on Facebook for traffic do not subscribe to the paid blue checkmark certification, they may be limited to including a maximum of two external links in their posts each month in the future.
No payment? You can only redirect traffic twice a month.
This test was first discovered by social media consultant Matt Navarra, who also shared screenshots of the results. Some creators using Facebook's "Professional Mode" have recently been notified that without a paid subscription to the blue checkmark verification, they will be limited to posting only two organic posts with links per month.
This means that if creators want to drive fans to their YouTube channel, blog posts, podcasts, or marketplaces, Facebook will block the posts after only two attempts, unless the creators pay to subscribe.
Official confirmation: Testing the value of "links"
A Meta spokesperson later confirmed the existence of the test, emphasizing that it is currently a "limited test" primarily targeting creators and pages using professional mode, and that general news publishers are not currently included in the restrictions.
As for why they're doing this, Meta says it's "to understand whether the ability to post linked content can bring additional value to verified subscribers." In other words, Meta is evaluating selling "traffic rights" as a commodity to users, but it remains to be seen whether users will buy into it.
Currently, the starting price for a Meta-certified "Blue Checkmark" subscription is...$14.99 per monthIf this model becomes finalized, it may become a significant source of revenue for Meta in the future.
Analysis: From "Algorithm-Driven Access" to "Paywalls Blocking the Way"
In my opinion, this shows that Meta's tolerance for "traffic spillover" has reached rock bottom.
Over the past few years, those who manage Facebook fan pages know that Facebook's algorithm strongly dislikes external links (linked posts). Posts with links are typically met with drastic reductions in reach. Back then, at least you could still post, even if nobody saw them; now Meta is planning to use "hard rules" to restrict users.
This not only reflects Meta's anxiety about monetizing through subscriptions (after all, customer service is already bundled into the subscription), but also represents the ultimate manifestation of "Pay to Play." For micro-creators, a few hundred dollars a month for a subscription might be affordable, but this blatant practice of "paying a toll if you want to take people away from Facebook" will likely only accelerate the exodus of creators from this increasingly closed platform.
It seems the costs of community management in the future are gone forever.
