Meta Moves Further from News as Facebook News Gets Removed in Additional Regions

Here’s the scoop: Meta, the brains behind Facebook, is pulling the plug on news and politics in the UK, France, and Germany, starting this December.

Let’s rewind a bit. In 2019, Meta introduced the Facebook News tab, a curated news hub within the app. Their goal? To provide us with a reliable news source by partnering with trusted publishers. Why? Because Facebook had become a significant news source for many, and Meta wanted to make the news on their platform more credible.

But as time went on, something shifted. People started losing interest in news discussions, and Meta decided to change gears. They shifted their focus to snappy short-form videos and updates from friends while gently dialing down the news, especially politics.

Why the change? According to Meta, they want to invest their time and resources in things we love the most, like those addictive short videos. People come to Facebook to connect, explore passions, and discover new interests—not necessarily for news and politics. In fact, news makes up less than 3% of what we see in our Facebook feeds worldwide.

In 2021, Meta listened to our feedback. Turns out, we didn’t want political content dominating our News Feeds. Politics was causing more division and arguments than a heated family dinner. So, Meta started scaling back political content on the main app.

The silver lining? They’ve got a worthy replacement: short-form videos, especially Reels. These have become our new obsession and are keeping us glued to the platform. With a touch of AI wizardry, Meta keeps us engaged without relying solely on comments and shares, which used to drive news engagement.

Turning away from news also frees Meta from agreements with news publishers, saving them a bundle. It also lets them challenge regional regulations that require them to pay local publishers for using their news content.

Remember when Australia started it all with its “Media Bargaining Code” in 2021, essentially forcing Meta to cough up cash to local news outlets for reposting their content in their apps? Meta argued it didn’t quite add up since the real winners were the publishers, not them. But they played nice and agreed to the deal, funneling more money into local news.

Now, Canada’s joined the fray, pushing for Meta to pump more cash into local media. In response, Meta has banned news content altogether in Canada due to their proposed “Online News Act.”

With Meta distancing itself from news chatter in their apps, it looks like they’re standing firm this time. That means less news talk, especially in certain corners of the world.

So, is this a smart move? According to Meta, news content is just a tiny slice of our in-app fun. Short-form videos are where the real party’s at. Plus, Meta’s taken a few hits for their platform’s role in political drama. So, it makes sense for them to shift away from news if they can. The signs are pointing in that direction, so it seems like the right time for them to bid farewell to their news deals.

So, what’s on the horizon? We’ll have to wait and see how this shapes our news consumption habits. And just maybe, Facebook’s transition from news to entertainment will change how we view its influence in the news world. Only time will tell!