WASHINGTON, Oct 4 — US-based technology company Meta plans to charge users in Europe for ad-free subscription plans for Instagram and Facebook, German news agency (dpa) quoted the Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday.
The tech giant is in talks with European Union’s data protection regulators to launch an ad-free subscription version of its service in the region, the report said.
Users who do not want to pay a fee of US$14 or even US$17 per month to access Meta apps Facebook and Instagram would have to accept its so-called “personalised ads”, which will allow Meta to track a user’s online activity.
This proposal made by Meta addresses EU regulations that could impact its personalised advertising practices.
The EU has been implementing and strengthening data protection and privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to safeguard user data and privacy rights.
Personalised ads make up major part of revenues for companies like Meta, as they rely on user data to target advertisements more effectively.
However, EU regulations aim to give users more control over their data and require companies to obtain explicit consent for certain data processing activities, including personalised advertising.
Offering a choice between a free, ad-supported plan and a paid subscription, will typically lead more users opting for the former, helping Meta comply with regulations without affecting its ad business.
— Bernama-dpa
