Facebook will begin taking a cut of Facebook content creators’ fan subscriptions.
As part of a wider range of announcements related to monetization at VidCon, a new report from TechCrunch explains that Facebook said it plans to take a share of up to 30 percent on fan subscriptions.
The social media giant first unveiled fan subscriptions early last year, allowing content creators to charge fans $4.99 USD per month in exchange for exclusive content and a fan badge helping their comments stand out more. Until now, Facebook passed all subscription revenue on to the content creators, minus a fee collected by Apple and Google on mobile subscriptions.
Now, starting with any subscribers who sign up beginning January 1, 2019, Facebook says it will take 30 percent of revenue from subscribers. It will take 15 percent of revenue paid by mobile subscribers, but only starting in the second year of a subscription.
The company is also expanding its Facebook Stars program — which allows subscribers to “tip” gaming streamers — to non-gaming video streamers. Each star is worth one cent, and Facebook is taking a cut of this as well, though its share decreases when fans purchase larger packs of Stars. The company also noted that it is enabling creators to form exclusive subscriber groups.
