Meta plans to discontinue Facebook News in the US and Australia come early April, as part of its ongoing effort to reduce emphasis on news and politics. This follows the shutdown of the feature in the UK, France, and Germany last year.
The News tab curated headlines from national and international news organisations and smaller, local publications after it was launched in 2019 .
Meta reassures users that they will still have access to news articles through links, and news organizations will retain the ability to post and promote their content, just like any other individual or organization on Facebook.
Meta’s decision to scale back news and political content on its platforms reflects its response to longstanding criticism regarding its handling of misinformation and its potential contribution to political polarization.
“This adjustment doesn’t affect posts from accounts individuals actively follow; rather, it influences what the system suggests, with individuals retaining control over their preferences,” Dani Lever, a spokesperson for Meta was quoted as saying in report by the Associated Press. “This announcement builds upon years of refining our approach to political content in alignment with user feedback.”
Meta clarified that the modification to the News tab does not impact its fact-checking network or its efforts to review and address misinformation.
However, misinformation continues to pose a challenge for the company, particularly with the onset of the US presidential election
Meta claims that news content comprises less than 3 percent of what users worldwide see in their Facebook feeds, highlighting a significant drop in the number of people using Facebook News in Australia and the US last year.
However, a 2023 Pew Research study revealed that half of US adults obtain news from social media at least occasionally, with Facebook emerging as the leading platform. According to Pew, three in 10 US adults regularly get news from Facebook, while 16 percent regularly obtain news from Instagram, also owned by Meta.
Recently, Instagram users voiced dissatisfaction with the platform’s decision to cease “proactively” recommending political content from accounts users don’t follow. Although the option to disable this filter was available in user settings, many users were unaware of Meta’s decision to implement the change.
The decision to discontinue the Facebook News tab by Meta in the US and Australia marks a significant shift in its approach to news content. While this move aims to reduce the emphasis on news and politics, Meta assures users of continued access to news articles through links, emphasizing its commitment to user feedback and refining its approach to political content. Despite these efforts, misinformation remains a persistent challenge for the company, especially amid significant political events. As Meta navigates this evolving landscape, the decision underscores the complex interplay between technology
