Social media giant Meta has announced plans to remove the news tab from Facebook‘s platform in the United States and Australia beginning in April 2024. The company cited a steep decline in usage of the feature along with a desire to reallocate resources to products and services that users find most valuable.

According to Meta, engagement with Facebook News has plummeted 80% over the past year in the two countries. This drop-off, combined with the high costs associated with news-related regulations and publisher payments, led to the decision to sunset the product.

“This is part of an ongoing effort to better align our investments to our products and services people value the most,” said a Meta. “As a company, we have to focus our time and resources on things people tell us they want to see more of on the platform, including short-form video.”

Last year, Meta made similar moves in the UK, Germany and France, shutting down Facebook News in each country. The company emphasized at the time that news content accounts for less than 3% of what people see in their feeds. With news engagement declining, Meta is shifting focus away from written content to other more popular formats.

The fate of Facebook News is also tied to increased government scrutiny and legislation targeting social media companies. Rules passed in Australia and Canada requiring compensation to publishers for using their content drove Meta to block news links altogether for users in Canada starting last August.

While Facebook News will no longer exist in the U.S. and Australia, Meta clarified that people will still be able to share news links on their feeds. Publishers can also continue managing Facebook pages and posting content. However, no new commercial news deals or news-specific products are planned moving forward.

Meta’s pulling back from news comes after Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced last year that the company won’t amplify news on Threads, its messaging-focused app. With Facebook News now shuttered in four countries, the social media leader appears intent on distancing itself from the news business amid sinking engagement.