EU Residents Could Pay to Opt Out of Facebook and Instagram Ads
The New York Times reported on Friday that Meta Platforms is considering ad-free paid versions of Facebook and Instagram for users in the European Union (EU).
Those who pay for subscriptions would not see ads, while Meta would continue to offer free versions of apps with ads in the EU, the report said, citing three people with knowledge of the plans.
The report added that the potential change could help Meta fend off privacy concerns and other EU scrutiny because it would give users an alternative to the company’s ad-supported services that rely on analyzing people’s data.
Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
The social media giant has been in the crosshairs of EU antitrust regulators, losing a battle in July against a 2019 German order that banned it from collecting user data without consent.
It’s unclear how much paid versions of the app would cost, the NYT report said.
