Meta has announced the launch of a paid subscription that will allow Facebook and Instagram users to get rid of ads on both platforms. The company will offer separate subscriptions for the web versions and mobile apps, reports Bloomberg.
To remove ads from web versions of social networks, users will pay £2.99 per month. Subscriptions for iOS and Android apps will cost more at £3.99, which Meta attributes to Apple and Google’s fees on their app stores.
In 2023, Meta already introduced a similar subscription for EU users, but more expensive. The company was fined $232 million because regulators concluded that this model violates digital antitrust rules and does not provide users with real freedom of choice. Despite the changes made, the European Commission said in July that they were not enough, otherwise Meta would face new daily fines.
The launch of a paid subscription in the UK shows Meta’s desire to reconcile EU online privacy requirements with the need to retain advertising revenue, which in 2024 generated 97% of the company’s revenue.
Once the subscription is launched, users over the age of 18 will receive a message asking them to sign up for a monthly subscription to remove ads from Facebook and Instagram. At the same time, they will be able to continue using platforms with advertising if they do not issue a subscription.
