Meta Rolls Out £2.99 Ad-Free Facebook & Instagram Subscriptions in UK!

Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, is introducing a new subscription option for users in the UK who want to use these platforms without seeing any adverts. This change means that people in the UK will soon be able to pay a monthly fee to enjoy an ad-free experience on both Facebook and Instagram. Meta announced that it will begin notifying users in the coming weeks, giving them the choice to subscribe if they prefer not to see ads while using these social media apps. The subscription will cost £2. 99 per month if you use the web version, and £3. 99 per month if you use the apps on iOS or Android devices. The higher price for mobile apps is because Apple and Google take a percentage of payments made through their app stores.

Meta says this new subscription is designed to give UK users a clear choice about how their data is used for advertising. If you do not want your data to be used for personalised ads, you can pay the monthly fee and see no ads at all. If you do not mind seeing ads, you can continue using Facebook and Instagram for free. Meta believes that advertising helps keep the internet free for many people and supports businesses and platforms. In the European Union, users already have the option to pay for an ad-free experience, but they also have another choice: they can choose to see less personalised ads without paying. However, UK users will not have this option. They can only choose between paying to see no ads or using the platforms for free with regular ads.

The decision to introduce paid subscriptions comes after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is responsible for protecting people’s data, published new guidance about ad-free subscriptions earlier this year. Many digital platforms and news publishers in the UK have started using a 'consent or pay' model, where users can either accept tracking cookies or pay to avoid them. Meta’s new subscription follows this model, allowing users to either consent to ads or pay to remove them. The ICO welcomed Meta’s move, saying it marks an important change in how the company targets users with personalised ads. Previously, Meta included targeted advertising as part of the standard terms for using Facebook and Instagram, which the ICO said was not in line with UK law.

Earlier this year, Meta agreed to stop targeting ads at a British woman who objected to her data being used for advertising. She argued that Facebook’s targeted advertising system was a form of direct marketing, and individuals should have the right to object. Meta says the subscription price for UK users is among the lowest on the market, and the ICO noted that Meta significantly lowered the starting price after discussions with the regulator. As a result, UK users will pay about half as much as EU users for the ad-free subscription. Meta faced criticism from EU regulators over the cost of its subscriptions, which previously started at €9. 99 per month, but the company has since reduced the price and added the option for EU users to see less personalised ads if they do not want to pay.

Meta says the UK’s regulatory environment is more supportive of growth and innovation compared to the EU’s rules, which the company claims create a worse experience for users and businesses. The new subscription model is intended to give users more control over their data and how it is used for advertising. If you want to keep using Facebook and Instagram for free, you will continue to see ads. If you prefer an ad-free experience, you can pay a monthly fee. Meta hopes this new choice will help users feel more comfortable and secure about their data while using its platforms. The company will start informing users about the new subscription option soon, so everyone can decide which option works best for them.