Meta is adding a subscription in the UK that lets people use Facebook and Instagram without ads. The rollout follows months of talks with the Information Commissioner’s Office, which pressed the company to give users a clear choice over data use and targeted advertising.
Prices and Accounts
On the web, the subscription is £2.99 a month. On iOS and Android it is £3.99 because of fees charged by Apple and Google. The fee covers all accounts linked through Meta’s Accounts Center. Extra accounts can be added for £2 a month on the web or £3 on mobile.
Oversight and Regulation
The ICO said the new model brings Meta closer to UK data protection rules. People can either keep using the platforms with personalised ads or pay to remove them. The regulator said it will keep an eye on how the change works in practice.
Meta is taking a different route in the UK compared with the European Union. In Europe, regulators fined the company €200m this year for failing to offer a lighter version of targeted ads. Subscription prices in the EU are also higher, starting at more than six euros a month.
Legal and Policy Background
The UK launch comes after Meta settled a case with campaigner Tanya O’Carroll, who argued her rights were breached when the company refused to stop using her data for advertising. Since then Meta has explored ways to give users an option to opt out, with the subscription being the result.
Legal analysts note that the ICO’s stance shows a split from the European Commission. In their view, the UK approach leans toward supporting business growth while still requiring some level of consumer protection.
Business Impact
Meta still defends targeted advertising as the foundation of its free services. The company says ads help people find products and give businesses an affordable way to reach customers. In 2024, its ad systems were linked to billions of pounds in economic activity and hundreds of thousands of jobs in Britain.
Now the choice is left with users, who can decide if an ad-free feed is worth the monthly cost.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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