According to the official announcement, Facebook will begin removing the news section starting from April in the United States and Australia. This practice was already implemented in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France in 2023.
Company executives argue that only a very small portion of users use the platform to read news and emphasize that news is not their area of expertise. Highlighting that news tabs were read 80% less in these two countries last year, the executives state that this situation cannot continue and they want to focus more on content that can attract much more attention than news. Here are all the details…
Facebook Continues to Shut Down the News Section
Facebook emphasizes that people use the app not to follow the news but to socialize and build new connections. The company claims to want to act in line with this purpose. It was already known that the company had been reducing the importance of the news section for a long time.
The reason for this is said to be the platform’s reluctance to evolve into a social media platform focused on current news and politics like platform X. Additionally, some claim that news content generates less revenue for the company compared to other entertaining content.
Meta, the owner of the company, recently announced that it would impose restrictions on political content on Instagram and Threads platforms. It is estimated that the decision, particularly based on the United States entering the election period, will also be implemented for Facebook. Another factor behind Meta management’s decision is believed to be the exacerbation of polarization in the country by political news.
What do you think about this topic? Do you think Facebook’s strategy is correct? How often did you use the news section? You can easily share your answers with us in the comments section below. Your opinions are very valuable to us.