Meta to Retire Facebook News in Major European Markets
Social media giant Meta announced on Tuesday its decision to discontinue the Facebook News tab in its largest European markets, including the UK, France, and Germany. Starting in December, users of the platform will no longer have access to the news tab, although they can still read and share news content through their feeds, as stated in a company blog post.
Meta also clarified that it will no longer engage in partnerships with publishers to provide news content in these countries, despite having over 130 million users across the region.
This move comes as Meta faces legal challenges globally, with lawmakers and media organizations accusing the company, along with other tech firms, of benefiting from their content without adequate compensation. Recently, Meta blocked Canadian users from viewing or sharing news links due to legislation that required the platform to provide compensation to news providers.
In its blog post, Meta highlighted its broader strategy for Facebook, which involves a shift away from news content. The company emphasized that people primarily use Facebook to connect with others and discover new interests, passions, and opportunities. News content constitutes less than three percent of what users see in their Facebook feeds, making it a relatively small aspect of the overall Facebook experience for the majority of users. For more updates visit thedailycourierng