A recent report from Chartbeat and Similarweb indicates that Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has experienced a significant decline in referral traffic to news publisher websites. Over the past year, Facebook referral traffic to these sites has dropped by 50%, with total referrals now accounting for less than a quarter of what they were in 2018. Smaller players in the industry have been hit especially hard by this decline, with their Facebook referrals decreasing significantly over the past year. This shift away from news content is part of Meta’s broader strategy to focus on entertainment-based content, such as AI-recommended video clips, in order to keep users engaged on its apps and reduce the presence of political content.
Meta has been gradually phasing out news content from its platforms, including ending its Facebook News project in December of the previous year. The company has made efforts to reduce the reach of political content on its apps, with a goal of providing a more positive user experience. By emphasizing time spent over user engagement metrics like comments and likes, Meta aims to highlight content that keeps users engaged and entertained, while also minimizing political debate and controversy. This shift comes in response to feedback from users who expressed a desire for less political content on their social media feeds.
The decision to reduce the presence of news and political content on Meta’s platforms was largely influenced by the regulatory scrutiny the company faced following the Capitol riots. Concerns over misinformation and foreign influence operations have prompted Meta to reconsider its role as a news distributor and focus more on user engagement and entertainment-based content. By distancing itself from news and politics, Meta hopes to avoid negative headlines and regulatory challenges, while also improving the overall user experience on its apps.
While the shift away from news content may impact news publishers financially, it could ultimately benefit social media users by reducing exposure to misinformation and divisive political content. Meta’s decision to prioritize positive, light-hearted entertainment content on its platforms aligns with user preferences and may lead to a more positive and beneficial experience for users overall. By avoiding news and politics, Meta can mitigate the spread of misinformation and foreign influence operations on its platforms, while also improving its public image and regulatory compliance.
By focusing on AI-recommended video clips and entertainment content, Meta aims to increase user engagement and keep users glued to its apps, while also reducing political controversy and divisive debate. The success of Threads, Meta’s Twitter competitor app, in amplifying positive and entertaining content suggests that this approach may be effective in reshaping the social media landscape. While the decline in news referral traffic may have negative consequences for news publishers, it reflects a broader shift towards a more positive, entertainment-based user experience on social media platforms.
In summary, Meta’s decision to reduce the presence of news and political content on its platforms reflects a broader shift towards user engagement and entertainment-based content. While this may have negative implications for news publishers, it could ultimately benefit social media users by reducing exposure to misinformation and divisive political content. By prioritizing positive, light-hearted content, Meta aims to create a more engaging and beneficial user experience, while also avoiding regulatory scrutiny and negative headlines. This shift underscores Meta’s commitment to redefining social media as a platform for positivity and entertainment, rather than controversy and debate.