Facebook users in the U.K., France, and Germany will no longer have access to a dedicated news articles section starting in December. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced on Tuesday that it plans to “deprecate” the Facebook News tab in these European countries. This decision is part of Meta’s ongoing effort to prioritize its investments in products and services that are most valued by users. The company intends to allocate more time and resources to short-form video content, particularly its Reels product, which is similar to TikTok.
According to Meta, news articles account for less than 3% of the content that users see in their Facebook feeds. While the company will honor its existing obligations to news publishers in these countries, it will not enter into new deals or introduce new products specifically for news publishers.
Facebook News was initially launched by Meta in 2019 with the aim of bringing users closer to the stories that impact their lives. However, the decision to deprecate Facebook News is part of Meta’s broader strategy to step away from the news business. This strategic shift was evident when Meta recently blocked access to news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, following the enactment of the Online News Act by the Canadian government. The Online News Act requires tech companies to pay content fees to media outlets in the country.
Meta disagreed with the Canadian law, arguing that it misrepresented the value news outlets receive from using their platforms. The company believes that the legislation is based on the incorrect premise that Meta unfairly benefits from news content shared on its platforms. However, some news experts criticized Meta’s decision, expressing concerns that it could lead to an increase in misinformation and have a negative impact on local news organizations.
In summary, Meta’s decision to deprecate the Facebook News tab in the U.K., France, and Germany is part of its strategic shift away from the news business. The company plans to focus more on short-form video content, and while it will fulfill its existing obligations to news publishers in these countries, it will not pursue new deals or introduce new products for news publishers.
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