Meta responds to EU regulators with ad-free subscription for Facebook and Instagram

The subscription, available throughout the European Union, costs around €9.99 per month for web users and €12.99 per month for iOS and Android users, including platform-specific fees.

This new offer is set to address the European Union's concerns about Meta's ad targeting and data collection practices. By giving users the option to pay for no advertising or use the service for free, but agreeing to data collection practices, Meta aims to be more compliant with the privacy requirements of European data protection laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.

Meta emphasizes that free access to its products, supported by ads, will remain available. The experience for non-paying users will remain unchanged, and Meta's existing ad preference tools will continue to be available.

The ad-free subscription will be open to individuals aged 18 and above in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. Initially applicable to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts, Meta plans to introduce additional charges for linked accounts starting March 1st, 2024, at €6 on the web or €8 on iOS and Android per linked account. As long as users remain subscribed, their data will not be used for ad targeting.