Facebook and Instagram to get paid ad-free option in the UK: Pricing, features, details

Facebook and Instagram will soon be available in ad-free versions in the United Kingdom, but this will be a paid feature.

Meta Platforms Inc. will soon roll out paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in the United Kingdom, giving users the option to browse both platforms without advertisements, reported Bloomberg. Starting in the coming weeks, adults will be able to pay £2.99 a month for ad-free access on the web, or £3.99 if they use the iOS or Android apps.

The higher price for mobile app users reflects charges imposed by Apple and Google for purchases made through their respective app stores.

Advertising Revenue

The move is part of Meta’s ongoing balancing act between safeguarding user privacy and sustaining its primary revenue source, as per the company. Advertising contributed nearly 97 per cent of the company’s income last year. Users who do not wish to subscribe will still be able to access both services for free with adverts.

Meta confirmed that the subscription will initially be available to users aged 18 and above, who will be notified of the option in the coming weeks.

Contrast with EU Experience

The decision follows a troubled attempt to introduce a similar subscription model in the European Union last year. Meta faced a €200 million fine in April after regulators ruled the offering breached digital competition laws and did not provide a fair choice to users.

Although the company adjusted the system to meet EU requirements, the European Commission demanded further changes in July, warning of potential daily penalties if Meta’s modifications were deemed inadequate.

UK’s Softer Stance

Since leaving the EU, Britain has had greater flexibility in shaping digital privacy regulations. Meta said it had held detailed discussions with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) before proceeding with the UK launch.

“This approach and outcome sets the UK apart from the EU, where we have been engaged in similar discussions with regulators,” Meta said in a statement. The company criticised Brussels’ stance, claiming EU regulators were demanding restrictions that exceed legal requirements, leading to “a worse experience for users and businesses.”

ICO Welcomes Change

The UK’s privacy watchdog gave its backing to the revised model. An ICO spokesperson said the new system “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.”

(With inputs from Bloomberg)