Meta has announced that it will soon offer a paid subscription that will offer an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram. However, this paid plan will only be available to users in the EU (European Union). Of course, there remains free access to these social media apps, but it will be supported by advertisements.
Facebook and Instagram's paid subscription is only available in the EU
The paid subscription for Facebook and Instagram will cost €9.99 per month for the web. If you want an ad-free experience on Android and iOS apps, it will cost €12.99 per month. This subscription comes at a time when the EU has expressed concerns regarding the company's ad targeting and data collection policies. With the paid subscription, Meta believes that it clearly meets privacy requirements set by European laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.
For those who do not wish to pay, an ad-supported tier remains, and it will still offer users access to the existing ad preference tools. The ad-free subscription will only be available to users aged 18 (or above) and living in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. Currently, the ad-free experience is free for linked accounts, but Meta plans to charge €6 per linked account on the web (€8 for Android and iOS apps).
This paid subscription will not be available in countries or regions where strict data protection and privacy laws are not available, such as in most developing or underdeveloped nations. The company says it still believes in ad-supported internet, and the new paid subscription is only for the EU's strict policies.