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Meta to Retire Facebook Like, Share and Comment Plugins on the Open Web by Feb. 10, 2026

Meta cites declining use alongside a push to modernize developer tools.

Overview

  • The change affects only third‑party website embeds, with in‑platform Facebook reactions remaining available.
  • Legacy plugins will gracefully degrade by rendering as a 0×0 invisible element so pages do not break.
  • Site owners do not need to act immediately, though Meta advises removing the old code over time for cleaner performance.
  • Meta frames the move as product simplification after usage of decade‑old plugins waned across a more fragmented social landscape.
  • External Like, Share and Comment tools, introduced around 2009–2010, once drove visible social traffic but lost relevance with privacy shifts and new sharing habits.