Meta Platforms revealed on Friday that it would offer an ad-free subscription option to Facebook and Instagram users in the United Kingdom in the coming weeks. The move will give users a choice between paying a monthly fee or continuing to use the services for free with targeted advertising, a model that has faced increasing scrutiny from European regulators.
The subscriptions, priced at 2.99 pounds ($3.99) a month on the web and 3.99 pounds on iOS and Android, reflect similar offerings Meta has rolled out in the European Union to comply with data privacy rules. The latest announcement comes after the country’s data protection authority raised concerns about how platforms handle personal information for advertising.
Meta said the ad-free tier was designed to give people more control over their online experience while preserving the company’s ability to provide free services, which are funded by ads. Users who choose the paid plan will not see ads, and their data will not be used for advertising purposes. The shift reflects a broader industry trend as tech firms face pressure from regulators over the use of personal data and targeted ads.
Meta’s targeted advertising has previously been scrutinised. In 2022, it was forced into a settlement with US regulators over claims its tool for targeting housing advertising discriminated against race, religion and sex. The tech giant has received criticism from women who have received adverts about babies or pregnancy after suffering miscarriages or after a stillbirth.
The company said it was launching the tier after talks with the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s data watchdog, which it said had taken a “constructive approach”. However, Meta also attacked European watchdogs over their approach to digital advertising. Meta has offered ad-free subscriptions in Europe since 2023 in response to a series of rows with regulators over personalised digital advertising.
