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Facebook has begun testing a controversial new feature that limits how many links users can share in posts each month unless they subscribe to Meta Verified, marking a significant shift in how the platform treats outbound content and creator traffic.
What’s Changing in Facebook in 2026?
Some users in the United States and the United Kingdom have received notifications stating that, starting December 16, they will only be allowed to share links in two organic Facebook posts per month unless they pay for Meta’s subscription service, which starts at £9.99 per month for individuals and ranges from $14.99 to $499 per month for business users, depending on the tier.
The notification message shared with affected users reads:
“Starting December 16, certain Facebook profiles without Meta Verified, including yours, will be limited to sharing links in 2 organic posts per month. Subscribe to Meta Verified to share more links on Facebook, plus get a verified badge and additional benefits to help protect your brand.”
Meta confirmed that the move is currently limited in scope. In a statement, the company said:
“This is a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value for Meta Verified subscribers.”
The test applies to a select group of users operating Facebook Pages or Professional Mode profiles, features commonly used by creators and businesses to distribute content and monitor performance.
Social media analyst Matt Navarra, who was among those notified of the change, said the move signals a deeper monetization strategy by Meta.
Navarra said the notification limited him to two link posts per month and warned that the shift fundamentally changes how creators and publishers should view Facebook as a traffic source.
“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,” he said. “And that’s new in its explicitness, even if it’s been the direction of travel for a while.”
No Links Or Less Links? Businesses Scratch Heads
Meta Verified already offers users a blue verification badge, enhanced account support, fraud and impersonation protection, improved search visibility, and stronger presence in feeds. The latest test suggests that link distribution itself may soon join that list of paid features.
Industry data provides context for why Meta may see limited downside in restricting links. According to Meta’s Widely Viewed Content Report, posts containing external links currently receive minimal reach on Facebook, a figure that has steadily declined since 2022. From Meta’s perspective, limiting link posts may not significantly impact overall engagement while encouraging more subscriptions.
Navarra described the shift as a wake-up call for businesses relying on Facebook for referral traffic.
“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,” he said.
He added that the test underscores a broader lesson for digital businesses.
“Meta will always optimize for Meta, first,” he said. “Tests like this underline why building a business that’s overly dependent on any one platform’s goodwill is incredibly risky.”
Meta clarified that the test does not currently include publisher Pages, but the experiment has already sparked concern among creators, media outlets, and marketers. If Meta expands the policy, it could significantly reshape how Facebook drives traffic in 2026 and beyond.
While Meta has not indicated whether the test will become permanent or more widely deployed, the move highlights a broader industry trend in which major platforms increasingly charge for reach, distribution, and visibility that were once free.
