Meta will be discontinuing Facebook News for users in the U.S. and Australia in early April as part of its efforts to reduce the emphasis on news and politics on the platform. This move follows the closure of the feature in the U.K., France, and Germany last year.
Introduced in 2019, the News tab curated headlines from various news organizations, both national and international, as well as smaller local publications.
According to Meta, users will still have access to news article links, and news organizations will retain the ability to post and promote their stories and websites, similar to any other individual or organization on Facebook.
This decision comes as Meta aims to scale back news and political content on its platforms in response to longstanding criticism regarding its handling of misinformation and its potential contribution to political polarization.
Meta spokesperson Dani Lever clarified that the change affects the system’s recommendations rather than posts from accounts users choose to follow. Lever emphasized that users have control over whether they want to see more news content.
Although Meta stated that the adjustment to the News tab will not impact its fact-checking network and efforts to combat misinformation, tackling misinformation remains a significant challenge for the company, particularly with major elections approaching.
Sarah Kreps, director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University, noted that Facebook initially did not perceive itself as a political platform but found itself increasingly entangled in politics as it grew. Kreps believes Meta’s decision to distance itself from politics aligns with its aim to avoid becoming a political focal point inadvertently.
Media analyst Rick Edmonds from Poynter remarked that the discontinuation of the News tab was expected given the declining Facebook traffic to news websites over the years. He suggested that news organizations should diversify their audience attraction strategies beyond Facebook, focusing on avenues like search and newsletters.
Despite the decline in Facebook News usage, a 2023 Pew Research study revealed that half of U.S. adults still obtain news from social media platforms, with Facebook being the dominant platform. However, some users have expressed dissatisfaction with Meta’s recent changes, such as Instagram’s decision to stop recommending political content proactively.
