Meta is introducing a paid subscription service that will allow users to remove ads from Facebook and Instagram.
This service will be available throughout the European Union, with a monthly fee of approximately €9.99 for web users and €12.99 for those on iOS and Android, the higher cost reflecting platform-specific fees.
This subscription is designed to address concerns from the European Union regarding Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices.
By offering users a choice between paying to eliminate ad targeting or continuing to use the service for free while consenting to data collection, Meta aims to more clearly comply with privacy requirements outlined by various European data laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.
Free, ad-supported access to Facebook and Instagram will continue to be available.
“We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them,” Meta stated in a blog post announcing the new subscription service.
Meta also confirmed that users who choose not to pay will not experience any changes in their experience, and existing ad preference tools will still be available to them.
The ad-free subscription will be limited to users aged 18 and older in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. Initially, the subscription will apply to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts, but Meta plans to charge an additional fee for linked accounts starting March 1st, 2024.
The additional cost will be €6 per account on the web and €8 on iOS and Android. As long as users remain subscribed, their data will not be used for ad targeting.
Meta is also working on a separate plan for teenage users. The company informed The Wall Street Journal that it will temporarily stop showing ads to teenagers in the region beginning November 6th.
Despite the launch of this subscription service, Meta’s announcement makes it clear that the company continues to prioritize its ad-supported business model, which remains the foundation of its platforms.
The subscription service will only be available in regions with strict consumer data protections, and even there, it will be optional.
In its blog post, the company emphasized its belief in an ad-supported internet, framing the new subscription as a product developed specifically to meet European regulations.
Nevertheless, this new option is something many users have been requesting. With Facebook’s products known for tracking users across the internet and targeting ads based on their behavior, it remains to be seen how many people will be willing to pay to escape the constant ad presence on their Instagram feed.
