According to a recent New York Times report published on Friday, Meta is contemplating the introduction of ad-free, paid versions of its social media platforms in the European Union. The timeline for implementing this plan remains uncertain, and the exact pricing details for the ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram have not been disclosed.
This potential strategy is being kept confidential, with all sources cited in the Times’ article choosing to remain anonymous. Meta has yet to provide a response to inquiries from Mashable and has declined to comment when approached by the Times. However, Meta’s consideration of such a move is not unexpected. Offering an ad-free experience on its apps could potentially help the company navigate privacy concerns and address the unease expressed by EU regulators.
This development occurs within the context of an ongoing struggle between EU regulators and Meta, primarily due to the company’s extensive data collection practices. The EU introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2016, one of the most significant pieces of legislation aimed at safeguarding online privacy and data. Since then, the GDPR has bolstered online privacy and data protection for EU users.
For example, in May, Meta incurred a 1.2 billion euro fine for GDPR violations related to transferring user data from Europe to the U.S. In July, the EU prohibited Meta from amalgamating user data across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. In August, the European Union’s Digital Services Act compelled Meta to permit Instagram and Facebook users in Europe to access content in chronological order, receive search results based solely on their inputted words rather than algorithm-based results, and view Stories and Reels exclusively from accounts they follow.
Although the exact timing and formal announcement of the option to pay for an ad-free experience on Meta’s platforms remain uncertain, some individuals, like myself, would be willing to pay for this feature. This is not only due to genuine concerns about data and privacy but also because Meta persistently bombards users with ads for products or services, which are not of interest and are unlikely to be purchased. The prospect of removing such ads from our Instagram feeds would be well worth the expense.
