Summary
- European regulators are cracking down on companies for their use of targeted ads, prompting Meta to launch an ad-free subscription service in Europe for Facebook and Instagram.
- To offset Google and Apple’s fees, subscriptions will cost €9.99/month for web users and €12.99/month for Android/iOS users.
- Meta continues to advocate for an ad-supported Internet, but is offering this subscription service as a way to comply with EU regulations, and it is intended to serve as a test case for other markets in the future. Could.
EU regulators are working on privacy laws aimed at protecting users from corporations that sell their data to advertisers. In this struggle between regulators and ad-tech companies like Google and Meta, some common names emerge. The latter, in particular, has attracted negative attention from EU regulators on several occasions for alleged misconduct with its use of targeted advertising. The social media giant is now launching a subscription service exclusively in Europe, allowing users in the region to get an ad-free Facebook and Instagram experience.
Membership will cost €9.99/month for web users, while users on Android/iOS will have to pay €12.99,The additional cost is meant to balance the fees charged by Google and Apple. Meta said in a detailed blog post (via The Verge) that people in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland can opt into this paid offering, adding that “Subscription will apply to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts in the user’s Account Center.,
Meta says both Facebook and Instagram will be available at no cost to those who don’t want to pay, but with the caveat that they will see ads and consent to sharing some of their data. The company clarifies that even non-paying users of any app will have access to it Advertising PreferencesWhich allows some control over the types of ads that are displayed.
In the meantime, advertisers will be able to continue to run personalized ad campaigns to reach people in Europe who want to continue receiving the free, ad-supported online service.
Despite these new measures, Meta has reaffirmed its stance of emphasizing an “ad-supported Internet”, making this new subscription service compliant with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as the Digital Markets Act (DMA). ) as a means of compliance. ,
The ad-free Instagram/Facebook membership will be available to individuals aged 18 and over, with Meta saying it will explore new avenues.To provide useful and responsible advertising experiences to teens in light of this evolving regulatory landscape.“Linked accounts will be covered under one subscription. But this will change from March 1, 2024, when Meta will charge additional €6/month on the web and €8 Per month in case of iOS or Android smartphones for each linked Instagram or Facebook account mentioned in the Account Centre.
Since this new paid service is only meant to please European regulators, we won’t see it implemented in other parts of the world any time soon, unless other governments follow in the EU’s footsteps with regard to user privacy and targeted ads. Don’t start. Still, it will serve as a good test case if Meta ever plans to offer a similar service in other parts of the world.
We suspect this subscription service will have a lot of takers in the EU, EEA and Switzerland, especially among those who can’t imagine living without Facebook/Instagram, but also want to opt out of targeted advertising. As for those who can’t afford the extra charges, they are out of luck, Meta says.