[smt88]

They didn't do it willingly. Facebook drew the news readers away from the publishers, and the publishers had to follow the readers.

[kevin_b_er]

Then they're not publishers anymore. Facebook decides what can be seen, and thus facebook is now the publisher.

[mtberatwork]

Facebook isn't the publisher. They aren't producing the content. They are just another distributor...albeit a very large one.

[backtoyoujim]

Distributor is not quite right.

If I run a shop that sells magazines, and I order a four magazines to fill some rack space in the shop the distributor does not decide to send you two and black hole the rest of your order.

They send you what you ordered.

Facebook is not a distributor. They are acting as gatekeepers, too.