Reported in October by the Wall Street Journal, the rumor is confirmed and Meta is launching a paid subscription offer for its social networks Facebook and Instagram. An option however limited to European countries, including Switzerland and the United Kingdom excluded.
Facebook and Instagram, you now have to pay to eliminate advertising
Indeed, the European Union wants to restrict the ability of Facebook and Instagram to recover its users' data in order to serve them personalized advertisements. Therefore, to comply with the legislation, Meta offers Europeans two choices: pay to no longer have ads, or consciously accept to receive personalized ads in order to access the social network for free.
Meta's word
“We believe in an internet supported by advertising, which gives people access to personalized products and services, regardless of their economic situation,” Meta said. It also allows small businesses to reach potential customers, grow their business and create new markets, boosting the growth of the European economy. And like other companies, we will continue to advocate for an advertising-supported internet, even with our new subscription offering in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. However, we respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and we are committed to respecting them."
Indicative price of these subscriptions: €9.99 per month for web versions, and 12, €99 for iOS and Android versions. Higher prices on mobile because they take into account commissions from Apple and Google on their online stores.
