- Meta will soon let UK users pay for an ad-free Facebook and Instagram experience.
- Prices start at £2.99 per month on the web and £3.99 on iOS or Android.
- The change comes after UK regulators demanded an alternative to targeted ads.
- Paying removes ads but not all data collection, which still fuels Meta’s services.
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is preparing to launch a new subscription plan for UK users. This new move will allow people to use the two social media platforms without seeing any adverts. For some, this feels like a long-awaited relief from the constant stream of targeted ads, but for others, it raises questions about paying for privacy.
The subscription will soon be available to UK residents. It represents a significant change in how Meta operates in the country and comes after increasing pressure from regulators who have challenged the company’s long-standing data and advertising practices.
A New Way to Ditch the Ads
For years, Facebook and Instagram have been free to use, funded almost entirely by targeted advertising. Soon, UK users will be given a choice. They can either continue using the platforms for free and see ads tailored to their data or pay a monthly fee for an ad-free experience.
Meta has set the price at £2.99 per month for users who subscribe through a web browser. If you choose to subscribe on iOS or Android, the fee rises slightly to £3.99 per month. The increase reflects the cut that Apple and Google take from in-app purchases.
If you use multiple accounts linked through Meta’s Accounts Center, you will not have to pay the full price for each one. Instead, there is a discounted rate of £2 per month on the web or £3 per month on iOS or Android for every additional account.
Why Meta Made This Move
This shift is not just a business experiment. It has been largely driven by regulatory pressure. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has insisted that people should have a genuine choice when it comes to targeted advertising.
Previously, using Facebook and Instagram meant accepting ads that were customized based on your personal data. Regulators found that this approach was not consistent with UK privacy laws. A spokesperson from the ICO told The Guardian that the subscription option “moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we’ve been clear is not in line with UK law.”
By introducing this subscription, Meta is trying to comply with UK privacy regulations and avoid further legal challenges.
Paying for Privacy or Paying Too Much
The idea of paying to avoid ads has sparked debate. Some users believe that this is a fair trade-off. They see it as a small price to pay for a cleaner feed and less intrusive data tracking for advertising purposes.
Others, however, feel uneasy about the change. Critics argue that privacy should not come with a price tag. After all, everyone has a right to protect their personal information without having to subscribe to a paid plan. To these users, the move feels more like a business strategy than a genuine attempt to respect privacy.
There is also an important point to remember. Even if you pay for the ad-free subscription, Meta will still collect data about how you use the platforms. This data will continue to be used to improve and personalize the services themselves, though it will no longer be fed into the advertising system. For people who do not trust Meta’s data practices at all, the simplest solution remains avoiding the platforms entirely.
The Missing Middle Ground
Interestingly, the UK version of Meta’s subscription does not offer a free option for users who would accept non-personalized, generic ads. In some parts of Europe, regulators under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have pushed for this kind of middle ground, where people can still use the services for free but without being subject to targeted advertising.
UK users currently face a binary choice. Either they pay to go ad-free or they stick with the free, ad-supported model. Some believe this limits the spirit of consumer choice that regulators wanted to encourage.
A Personal Take on the Change
For many casual users, including tech commentator James Rogerson who shared his views, the subscription holds little appeal. He points out that he does not use Facebook or Instagram heavily enough to justify paying a monthly fee. Moreover, the principle of having to pay for privacy feels wrong to him.
Rogerson’s reaction echoes the sentiments of many users who feel that privacy should be a default right, not an add-on. On the other hand, some regular users, especially those who spend hours scrolling or running business pages, may see value in removing the distraction of ads.
What This Means for the Future of Social Media
The UK launch of Meta’s ad-free subscription could signal a wider shift in the way social media platforms balance privacy, advertising, and revenue. It is a test case that other countries will watch closely.
If the subscription model succeeds, it could encourage similar moves in other regions. But if users reject the idea of paying for privacy, Meta may need to rethink how it funds its platforms while still respecting local data laws.
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