Summary
Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, will introduce a paid subscription option in the UK allowing users to avoid seeing ads by paying £2.99 a month on the web or £3.99 on mobile apps. This move provides an alternative to the free, ad-supported model and comes after similar offerings were introduced in the EU. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has supported these changes, which align with guidance on ad-free subscriptions.
Key Facts
- Meta is launching a subscription option in the UK for Facebook and Instagram users to avoid ads.
- The subscription costs £2.99 a month on the web and £3.99 on iOS and Android apps.
- EU users can already pay to avoid ads with rates starting at €5.99 (£5) a month.
- The UK's data watchdog, the ICO, has published guidance on ad-free subscriptions.
- UK users will not have the option to see "less personalised" ads without paying.
- Meta's move follows scrutiny about how it uses personal data for targeted ads.
- The ICO described this as an important shift in Meta’s handling of personalized ads.
- Earlier, a British woman successfully challenged Facebook’s targeted ads, influencing this change.
