Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is considering the idea of letting users make money through their social media activities.
The Verge claims that it came across a survey carried out by the company where it was requesting user feedback about money making features that would capture their attention. One of the most common suggestions is a feature called Tip Jar which allows users to seek content sponsors through a marketplace or even collect funds for their content. The survey was carried out on verified users suggesting that it might only involve such users.
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If the company ends up letting users earn from content on their platform, it will be deviating from its policy which dictates that it cannot share its money making methods with its users. It recently allowed users to make money through its new service called Instant Articles. The feature allows users to read news articles while they are still on the Facebook platform. The company also changed its policy on sponsored content earlier this month, thus allowing brands and celebrities to post their content on the network.
There is a high chance that the company will consider the idea because there is more competition in real-time sharing. The move might also promote more branded content on user timelines. The implementation of Tip Jar would also place Facebook in the same category as Twitch and YouTube, which allow content creators to be paid through small donations.
The Tip Jar concept has been tested a few times on the internet by a few startups including Flattr, which lets users set a monthly budget and distribute their funds through online Tip Jars. However, most firms that have tried out the concept have not really seen much success over the years. Facebook is now looking to gamble on the prospect and see if it can gain some ground. The company might be able to attract success with the project due to its scale. It if emerges successful, the feature will make a lot of sense for those who post directly on the platform, including publishers.
