Social media giant, Meta, has said Facebook and Instagram users in Europe and Switzerland will be able to opt for paid subscriptions to stop seeing adverts from November 1.
Users in the region will be paying €9.99 per month if buying a subscription on the web, and €12.99 per month on iOS and Android. The price is different due to the fees imposed by Apple and Google.
The subscription is meant to address concerns by the European Union about Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices.
By making users choose between paying for the service to remove ad targeting or using the service for free but consenting to its data collection practices, Meta believes it will have more clearly and definitively met privacy requirements set by a collection of European data laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.
Meta noted that the initial subscription covers all linked accounts in a user’s Accounts Center until March 1, 2024.
However, beginning March 1, 2024, an additional fee of €6/month on the web and €8/month on iOS and Android will apply for each additional account listed in a user’s Account Center.
Free access still available with ads
Meta in a statement released on Monday, said that users still have the option of continuing to its products for free, and their user experience will stay the same.
The advertisers will be able to continue running personalized advertising campaigns in Europe to reach those who choose to continue to receive Meta’s free service.
The company reassures users that the option to upgrade to an ad-free paid subscription is voluntary, and free access to Meta’s social media platforms will remain for the users who do not mind seeing ads.
- “We believe in a free, ad-supported internet and will continue to offer people free access to our personalized products and services regardless of income. It also allows small businesses to reach potential customers, grow their business, and create new markets, driving growth in the European economy,” said Meta in the statement.
Meta stated that it would continue to advocate for an ad-supported business model, despite their current push towards subscription-based services.
Meanwhile, advertisers will be able to continue running personalized advertising campaigns in Europe to reach those who choose to continue to receive a free, ad-supported online service. G
oing forward, the company said it would continue to invest to build new tools that preserve the value that both people and businesses get out of personalized advertising while allowing users to control their ads experience on its platforms.