Meta announced its plans to introduce a subscription option without advertisements for Facebook and Instagram, marking the first time such an offering will be available, starting next month for European users. This development underscores the impact of government pressure on major tech companies, pushing them to revamp their core products.
The social media giant explained that it is aligning with "evolving European regulations" by introducing this subscription choice in the European Union, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Beginning in November, users will have the option to continue using Facebook and Instagram with ads for free, or they can subscribe to enjoy an ad-free experience, as per Meta's announcement.
The subscription pricing will vary, with a monthly cost of 9.99 euros ($10.58) for web users, and 12.99 euros ($13.75) for iOS and Android device users, encompassing both their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Starting on March 1, 2024, an additional fee of 6 euros per month for web access and 8 euros per month for mobile access will apply to additional accounts.
Meta's primary business model has traditionally revolved around providing free social networking services while generating revenue from advertising to reach its user base. The introduction of a paid tier illustrates the tech industry's need to adapt products to comply with data privacy regulations and government policies, particularly in the European context. Companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, TikTok, and others are also making adjustments to meet new European Union regulations, which encompass approximately 450 million individuals across 27 countries.
To safeguard user privacy, the European Court of Justice, the EU's highest court, effectively prohibited Meta in July from aggregating data gathered from users across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as from external websites and apps, without explicit user consent. This decision followed a January ruling by EU regulators, which fined Meta 390 million euros for requiring users to accept personalized ads as a condition for using Facebook.
In its July judgment, the European Court of Justice hinted that offering a subscription service in Europe could be a means to comply with the ruling, a point that Meta highlighted. A subscription model allows users to access these platforms without their personal data being used for ad targeting.
In its statement announcing the new paid tier, Meta expressed its commitment to respecting the evolving European regulations and complying with them, emphasizing its belief in an "ad-supported internet" that delivers personalized products and services while supporting small businesses in reaching potential customers.
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