The new report from Chartbeat and Similarweb reveals that Facebook referral traffic to publisher websites has declined by 50% over the past year. Specifically, the report analyzed traffic to 792 news and media websites and found that referrals have plunged by 58% in the last six years, from 1.3 billion in March 2018 to 561 million in March 2024.

Facebook referral traffic to news sites is declining due to Meta's shift away from news content. This shift includes the company ending its Facebook News project in December of the previous year and announcing plans to reduce the reach of political content in its apps. Meta is also focusing on AI-recommended updates, primarily video clips, and moving away from user engagement metrics like comments and likes to time spent as the driver of content reach.

Meta is changing its content strategy by reducing the presence of news content and political content in its apps, and focusing more on AI-recommended updates and entertainment, such as compelling video updates. This change is impacting news publishers by significantly reducing their Facebook referral traffic. Smaller publishers, in particular, have been hit hard by this shift. Despite the negative impact on some publishers' bottom lines, this could be a positive shift overall, considering the broader impacts on misinformation dissemination and regulatory scrutiny.

The broader implications of Meta's shift away from news and political content include potentially making social media a more positive and beneficial experience. By not showing news content, Facebook could make it harder for influence operations to shift voter behaviors and reduce scrutiny on Meta. This approach aligns with user feedback, as many have expressed a desire not to have politics and fighting dominate their social media experience. Additionally, it could help Meta avoid negative headlines and regulatory troubles.