Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Inc. is considering a paid model to offer ad-free experience to Instagram and Facebook users in the European Union (EU), first reported by The New York Times.
This gives users residing in the European Union an option to avoid ads and have an ad-free experience. Notably, the free version of Instagram and Facebook, with ads, will continue to remain, the report adds.
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Meta didn’t immediately respond to FETechBytes’ request for a comment. In addition to the accuracy of this report, we’ve asked Meta what this potential subscription service could mean for users, specifically in India if implemented. And, whether this model offers extra perks like a Blue Verification badge, as well as the subscription cost.
The NY-based publication points out that this alleged model comes as a response to scrutiny from regulators. It also suggests that Meta’s potential decision could address EU privacy concerns by offering users an alternative to its data-driven ad services. The backstory is that, in July, it faced a legal setback when it lost against a 2019 German order that prevented it from gathering user data without their permission.
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Notably, Facebook and Instagram have been on the radar, especially in Europe. It also faced a fine of a whopping NOK 1 million which translates to roughly 77.5 lakhs per day since Aug 14 for breaking user privacy rules by gathering their data and using it for commercial purposes, per reports Hence, the company is currently seeking a temporary order from Norway’s data protection authority to stop these daily fines for the next three months.
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