If you’ve felt Facebook slowly tightening the screws on creators, you’re not imagining it.
Meta is currently testing a new feature that limits how many links creators can post unless they pay for a Meta Verified subscription, pushing the platform further toward an openly pay to play model.
Under the test, some creators are being restricted to just two link containing posts per month unless they subscribe to Meta Verified, the change was first highlighted by social media consultant Matt Navarra, who shared a screenshot of a notification sent to affected users.
“Certain Facebook profiles without Meta Verified, including yours, will be limited to sharing links in 2 organic posts per month.”
In other words, if you rely on Facebook to share articles, ticket links, or merch drops, your reach could now come with a monthly fee attached.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the test to Engadget, calling it a “limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value for Meta Verified subscribers.”
Long term
Navarra also weighed in on what this means long term, telling the BBC:
“If you’re a creator or a business, I think the message is essentially if Facebook is a part of your growth or traffic strategy, that access now has a price tag attached to it. And that’s new in its explicitness, even if it’s been the direction of travel for a while.”
He added, “For creators it reinforces a pretty brutal reality that Facebook is no longer a reliable traffic engine and Meta is increasingly nudging it away from people trying to use it as one.”
At this stage, the test reportedly affects an unspecified number of accounts using Facebook’s professional mode, Meta claims publishers are not currently impacted, though that distinction feels flimsy given how often “tests” quietly become permanent features.
If rolled out more broadly, the move would mark a major shift, sharing links has long been core to how creators and media outlets function on Facebook. Locking that behind a subscription would effectively tax visibility and funnel creators toward paid access just to maintain basic functionality.
For bands, independent media, and artists already fighting declining reach, it’s another reminder that Facebook’s value keeps shrinking. At some point, creators will have to decide whether paying to stay visible is worth it or whether it’s time to walk away entirely.
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