Meta may start charging for ad-free Facebook and Instagram use in the UK

Meta is considering introducing an ad-free subscription plan for Facebook and Instagram users in the United Kingdom (UK). As part of the plans, the social media platforms will create an option where users would be asked to pay for an ad-free experience if they do not want their data to be tracked or monitored.

The new development comes amid a legal battle where the Facebook and Instagram parent company agreed to stop targeting ads at a British woman. 

However, this is not the first of such considerations from Meta. The ad-free subscription plan for the platforms is already in existence in the European Union (EU) where users pay from €5.99 a month.

The shift in extending such service to the UK comes after Meta consulted with the UK data watchdog about the subscription service in 2024. Since then, Meta has been constructively engaging with the agency in line with this plan. 

Meanwhile, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office has previously cautioned that it expects Meta to consider data protection concerns before it launches an ad-free subscription. In January, the regulator issued a guidance stating that users must be presented with a genuine fee choice on such grounds. 

In response, the social media giant said that personalized advertising allows its platforms to be free at the point of access.

According to Meta’s latest quarterly financial result, advertising accounted for more than 96 per cent of its revenue. This shows that the social media platform, as well as others, heavily relies on ad revenue. 

Other social platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have also looked to ad-free options as a way to raise more money through subscriptions.

Doubts on Meta’s ad-free workability

Since October 2023, Facebook and Instagram users in the EU have been able to subscribe to avoid adverts on their feeds. 

Then, the platform launched its ad-free subscriptions at the cost of €9.99/month but reduced the fee later on. Responding to a regulatory concern after reducing the price, Meta stated that it would provide an option where users not willing to pay can opt to see adverts that are “less personalized”. Users would still see ads, but they may be “less relevant” to their interests.

On its planned introduction in the UK, Experts have noted that an ad-free subscription would see limited adoption in the region, where users would rather pay with their data than part with real cash. This has been the case in the EU. 

They are also of the opinion that Meta is using the initiative to build a safety net for a future where data collection gets a lot entangled. This might also open a choice where users would have to choose between money and privacy. Preferably, most people will keep scrolling for free.

In a similar development, the platform recently said it will begin testing its new Community Notes feature in the United States starting March 18, 2025. The move marks a significant shift in the company’s content moderation strategy, replacing its long-standing third-party fact-checking program with a crowd-sourced model powered by an open-source algorithm originally developed by Elon Musk’s X.

The decision comes two months after Meta scrapped its fact-checking initiative amid pressure from conservatives. This is being positioned as a less biased and more community-driven approach to tackling misinformation on its platforms.

The rollout of Community Notes also follows Meta’s January decision to end its reliance on third-party fact-checking organizations. The company noted that over 200,000 U.S. users signed up as potential contributors ahead of the public beta launch. 

Drawing inspiration from X’s Community Notes, revamped from its earlier “Birdwatch” feature in 2022, Meta utilized X’s open-source algorithm as the backbone of its rating system. 

Read More: Meta replaces third-party fact-checking with X-style community notes in the US.