Meta Introduces Ad-Free Subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram in Europe
Date: 2023-10-30 Author: Dima Zakharov Categories: TECHNOLOGY
Starting in November, users can subscribe to ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram for €9.99 ($10.57) per month for the web version, or €12.99 per month for iOS and Android devices, as announced by the company. This subscription service will be available to residents of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
"We will continue to support an ad-supported internet, even with our new subscription offering in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. However, we respect the spirit and purpose of these new European norms and commit to adhering to them," stated the company.
Meta will continue to provide advertising services in these markets at no extra cost. Initially, the subscription fee will cover all user accounts, but starting from March, Meta will charge an additional €6 per month for the web version and €8 for iOS and Android.
Meta has also decided not to launch the Threads app in the EU due to questions about how it can comply with the EU Digital Markets Act, which prohibits major tech companies from sharing data between services.
The introduction of this subscription option is a response to the tightening regulation concerning the collection and use of user data in Europe. In a blog post explaining this decision, Meta references a decision by the EU Court in July, which ruled that companies should consider offering alternative services to customers who do not want their data collected and sold to advertisers, "if necessary, for an appropriate fee."
"We will continue to support an ad-supported internet, even with our new subscription offering in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. However, we respect the spirit and purpose of these new European norms and commit to adhering to them," stated the company.
Meta will continue to provide advertising services in these markets at no extra cost. Initially, the subscription fee will cover all user accounts, but starting from March, Meta will charge an additional €6 per month for the web version and €8 for iOS and Android.
Meta has also decided not to launch the Threads app in the EU due to questions about how it can comply with the EU Digital Markets Act, which prohibits major tech companies from sharing data between services.
The introduction of this subscription option is a response to the tightening regulation concerning the collection and use of user data in Europe. In a blog post explaining this decision, Meta references a decision by the EU Court in July, which ruled that companies should consider offering alternative services to customers who do not want their data collected and sold to advertisers, "if necessary, for an appropriate fee."
