This week, Meta, announced that it would introduce paid subscriptions in Europe, allowing users to access Facebook and Instagram without ads. This subscription option will roll out in November in order to comply with the European Union regulations.
Facing antitrust scrutiny in the European Union, Meta encountered a setback in July when it couldn't overturn a German data restriction order. The European Union's highest court supported the authority of the German antitrust regulator to investigate privacy violations.
On May 23, 2023, Meta, was also fined a record-breaking €1.2 billion by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), acting on behalf of the EU. The fine was imposed due to Meta's failure to comply with a 2020 decision regarding trans-Atlantic data transfers. This fine adds to Meta's previous GDPR data privacy fines, such as €405 million for Instagram and €265 million for Facebook.
In an effort to adhere to regulations while preserving its advertising business, Meta would now present users with the option of choosing between a free plan supported by ads and a paid subscription that offers an ad-free experience.
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"Going forward, we will continue to invest to build new tools that preserve the value that both people and businesses get out of personalised advertising, while allowing users to control their ads experience on our platforms." -Meta (Source: Meta) |
The subscription fees will vary, with options for ad-free desktop access at 10 euros per month and mobile access at 13 euros per month. These subscriptions will only be available to users aged 18 and older, as Meta explores ways to provide a suitable ad experience for teens in compliance with evolving regulations.
Starting from March 1, 2024, an additional fee of €6/month on the web and €8/month on iOS and Android will be charged for extra accounts. Advertisers will continue to run personalized ads through the ad-supported service on Facebook and Instagram, while subscription users will have more control over the ads they see and the data used for ad targeting. This choice might encourage users to select the free plan, ultimately assisting Meta in complying with the regulations.
Will you get the paid subscription? Join the conversation in our Yes We Trust community, a free discussion group for data privacy professionals and enthusiasts, on LinkedIn: