Meta’s Big Move: European Users May Soon Have the Option to Go Ad-Free on Instagram and Facebook for $14 a Month! 💼📱 The Wall Street Journal Reveals the Scoop. Meta’s Plan Has Been Disclosed to Irish Privacy Regulators, Brussels’ Digital Competition Regulators, and EU Privacy Authorities. 🌐🔒 #MetaNews #AdFreeExperience
Meta recently gained ‘gatekeeper’ status under the EU’s latest Digital Markets Act. This means they can’t merge user data from various services and face additional restrictions. The EU is taking steps to regulate big tech more rigorously, aiming to safeguard European users online and foster competition in an industry largely dominated by US giants.
The Wall Street Journal report mentions that Meta intends to introduce a monthly subscription fee of approximately 10 euros or $10.46 for European users accessing Facebook or Instagram on their desktop. An extra charge of about $6 euros will apply for each additional account.
Additionally, the subscription fee would see an increase to around 13 euros per month for mobile users, accounting for commissions from Apple’s and Google’s app stores on in-app transactions.
Meta has informed regulators of its intention to introduce the subscription-based ‘no ads’ (SNA) plan for European users in the near future. This will give users the option to either continue using Facebook and Instagram with tailored ads or opt for an ad-free experience by paying for the services. However, it remains uncertain whether regulators in Ireland or Brussels will deem Meta’s new SNA plan in line with EU regulations, as reported by the outlet.
A spokesperson from Meta, cited by WSJ, stated that the company stands by the provision of free services supported by personalized ads, but is also open to exploring alternatives to meet evolving regulatory standards.
Meta’s Latest Figures: Around 258 Million Monthly Facebook Users and 257 Million Instagram Users in Early 2023
