By February 10, 2026, the "Like" and "Share" buttons will stop working on all external sites, ending a 16-year run.
These buttons were launched in 2010 as a bridge to connect Facebook with the open internet, allowing users to share and like external content directly from their favorite websites.
External websites refer to all websites that are not affiliated with Meta, the owner of Facebook. So, when you visit a website, such as a news site or an online shopping store, and see a "Like" or "Share on Facebook" button at the bottom of the article or next to the product, that website you are browsing is an external website.
These buttons allow you to share or like content without having to leave the site.
But Meta believes that these tools have become a historical stage in the development of the web, and are no longer compatible with its modern vision of a more efficient and specialized platform.
The company reassured developers and website administrators, emphasizing that the shutdown process would be seamless and would not affect the user experience. Instead of technical glitches, these buttons would automatically become invisible, while all essential website functionality would remain intact.
While automatic removal is guaranteed, Meta encourages developers to remove the code associated with these tools beforehand to ensure a smoother user experience. This move culminates a broader shift in the company's strategy, which is increasingly moving towards isolating its platforms from the open digital environment, raising questions about the future of the internet and interaction between its various platforms.