In order to address EU Privacy Concerns, Facebook and Instagram May Offer Paid, Ad-Free Services in Europe

According to a credible source, Meta may bring a paid membership option to Instagram and Facebook in Europe. The ad-free tier is intended to meet European Union (EU) laws that have reduced the profitability of some of Meta’s most profitable data-collection tactics. In April, the business stated that advertising in the EU accounted for 10% of overall income.

This would be Meta’s first departure from its regular paradigm of a single free platform financed by advertising (and related data collecting). The source says the business will continue to offer free ad-supported versions of Facebook and Instagram in the EU. It’s unclear when the ad-free tiers will be available or how much they will cost.

According to “insiders” at the company, having a paid ad-free alternative might help “alleviate some European regulators’ concerns,” even if few people use it. The extra layer “could serve Meta’s interests in the region,” they stated.

An ad-free alternative for European consumers would represent one of the most important differences in consumer technology between the EU and the US. As the GDPR and other restrictions take effect, Meta and other social platforms have been compelled to follow the same.