Meta rolls out paid ad-free option for European Facebook and Insta users after privacy ruling
Share this @internewscast.com

LONDON – Facebook and Instagram users in Europe are getting the option to pay for ad-free versions of the social media platforms as a way to comply with the continent’s strict data privacy rules, parent company Meta said Monday.

Starting in November, users on desktop browsers can pay about 10 euros ($10.50) a month while iOS or Android users will pay roughly 13 euros. The higher prices reflect commissions charged by the Apple and Google app stores on in-app payments, the company said in a blog post.

The fee will cover all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts until March, when Meta will start charging 6 euros for each additional account. The Wall Street Journal reported on the plan earlier this month.

The U.S. tech giant is rolling out the subscription option after the European Union’s top court ruled that under strict EU data privacy rules, Meta must first get consent before showing ads to users. The ruling jeopardizes the company’s ability to make money by tailoring advertisements for individual users based on their online interests and digital activity.

The company said while it believes in an “ad-supported internet,” it respects “the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations,” and is committed to complying with them.

The paid option “balances the requirements of European regulators while giving users choice and allowing Meta to continue serving all people,” Meta said.

Users aged 18 and older in the EU’s 27 member countries, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will still have the choice of continuing to use Facebook or Instagram with ads.

Meta said it’s looking into how how to “provide teens with a useful and responsible ad experience” given the Europan privacy ruling.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Judge Orders Government to Allow AP Journalists Back into White House Events

A federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to restore The…

Florida Executes Man for Murder of Miami Herald Worker Abducted During Lunch Break

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of killing a Miami…

Homeland Security Staff Presented with New Buyout and Early Retirement Options

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security is offering buyouts and early…

Asian Markets Decline Further Following Wall Street Drop Amid Impending Tariffs

BANGKOK – Asian shares sank again on Wednesday as the latest set…

Tragic Nightclub Roof Collapse in Dominican Republic Leaves At Least 98 Dead

SANTO DOMINGO – Rescuers frantically searched overnight for more survivors in the…

Man Accused in Suspected ‘Road Rage’ Shooting Incident at Osceola County Publix Lot

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Osceola County deputies announced the arrest of a…

Joe Rogan and Dave Portnoy, previously supporters of Trump, are now raising concerns about his tariff policies.

WASHINGTON – As President Donald Trump’s tariffs roil global markets, some of…

Expect Dry Conditions with Near-Average Temperatures This Week

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Skies are clearing out this morning as dry…

Day Two of Tyler Owens Trial Commences in Unicoi County

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The trial of Tyler Lee Owens, who…

Houthi Rebels Report Suspected US Strikes in Yemen Resulting in at Least 10 Deaths

DUBAI – Suspected U.S. airstrikes that pounded the area around Yemen’s Red…

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Primary Bid to Unseat Republican Senator John Cornyn

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the…

Recently Released Man Arrested for Breaking into Occupied Apartments

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Patrick McLaughlin III, 41, was arrested…