Paywall alert: Facebook testing paid news model in Instant Articles

Facebook is collaborating with a small group of publishers across the US and Europe

Facebook is finally testing a paywall in its Instant Articles feature -- beginning with Android and not iOS devices -- in partnership with a small group of publishers across the US and Europe.

Facebook will support the subscription-based news product in Instant Articles for both metered models (starting with a uniform meter at 10 articles) and "freemium" models (the publisher controls which articles are locked).

"This is a direct result of the work we're doing through the Facebook Journalism Project. We're listening to news publishers all over the world to better understand their needs and goals," the social media giant said in a blog post late on Thursday.

In July, Campbell Brown, the head of the company's news partnerships, said Facebook will launch a subscription-based news product with initial tests beginning in October.

To begin with, publishers like Bild, The Boston Globe, The Economist, Hearst (The Houston Chronicle and The San Francisco Chronicle), La Repubblica, Le Parisien, Spiegel, The Telegraph, tronc (The Baltimore Sun, The Los Angeles Times, and The San Diego Union-Tribune), and The Washington Post will participate.

According to Facebook, when someone who isn't yet a subscriber to a publication encounters a paywall within Instant Articles, they will be prompted to subscribe for full access to that publisher's content.

"If that person subscribes, the transaction will take place on the publisher's website. The publisher will process the payment directly and keep 100 per cent of the revenue," the company added.

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