Facebook and Instagram Launch Paid Subscription

Meta just announced plans to launch a paid subscription version of Facebook and Instagram in Europe. Starting next month, the subscription will grant users access to these social media platforms with no advertisements. It's unclear if or when that option might open up to users in the U.S.

Meta is launching its new subscription tiers in response to regulators at the European Union who have raised concerns about the way data is collected and ads are targeted on the social media sites. Users who pay for the subscription will be removing ad-targeting from their account, while those who do not pay will be consenting to the same advertising strategies that have already been in use. The subscription will cost either €9.99 or €12.99 per month depending on where you purchase it from – equivalent to $10.59 or $13.78 in the U.S. According to a report by The Verge, Meta believes this new approach will be indisputably in line with some of the data laws emerging in the EU, including the Digital Markets Act and the GDPR.

Meta explained the new plan in a blog post on Monday, saying: "We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them." At the same time, the company assured readers that the free, ad-supported version of the platform would not change and that all of the existing ad preference tools would stay intact. It sounds like the company is still making the ad-supported version of these platforms its priority – especially since the ad-free subscription will not be widely available.

These subscriptions will become available in November, but they will only be offered to users in the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. Furthermore, they will only be available to users who are 18 years of age or older. To start, one subscription will cover the cost of all linked accounts on Facebook and Instagram, however, Meta warns that on March 1, 2024, an additional fee will be added for each linked account. The cost will be €6 for extra web accounts and €8 for extra accounts on iOS and Android devices.

This move is somewhat surprising as streaming companies move in the opposite direction – embracing ad-supported content with a lower subscription cost and charging more and more to escape the commercials. However, the situation at Facebook may be very different as users cringe at the targeted ads they receive based on their own behavior. There's no telling how popular this subscription service might be.