Meta is testing subscription-based limits on external link sharing for some Facebook professional accounts, requiring eligible users to pay for higher monthly posting allowances, according to reports.
Under the reported arrangement, non-paying accounts are restricted to two external link posts per month. Users seeking higher limits are offered subscriptions through Meta’s Meta Verified-related services, with reported plans ranging from $49 per month for eight links to $499 for unlimited sharing.
The restrictions could affect creators, publishers and small businesses that use Facebook to direct audiences to websites, online shops and other external platforms.
Creators and Small Businesses Raise Concerns
The reported changes have drawn criticism from independent creators and businesses that depend on Facebook for website traffic and audience engagement.
Game developer Ashley Gullen criticised the move in a post on Mastodon, describing it as reaching “absurd new heights of enshittification,” a term used to describe digital platforms becoming less user-friendly as commercial priorities take precedence.
Critics argue that limiting external links could further reduce the ability of smaller publishers to reach audiences organically, particularly as they compete for visibility on social media.
Subscription Model Raises Questions About Access
The reported policy adds to Meta’s broader expansion of paid services across its platforms. However, the precise scope of the link-sharing restrictions, the eligibility requirements, and the subscription arrangements would need to be confirmed through official Meta documentation.
The change could also encourage users to explore alternatives, such as placing links in comments or directing followers to external pages through other channels. These approaches may make links less visible than including them directly in posts.
For businesses that rely on Facebook to attract customers, the key concern is whether access to external traffic will increasingly depend on paid subscriptions rather than standard account features.
Source: AlternativeTo