Meta Launches UK Ad-Free Subscription Option

Meta has announced the expansion of its ad-free subscription service to users in the United Kingdom, offering an alternative to personalized advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and presumably Threads. This move comes in response to recent regulatory guidance from the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and follows a settlement in a case brought by a British human rights campaigner over the use of personal data for direct marketing.

Pricing and Privacy Choice Starting in the coming weeks, U.K. users will have the choice to pay £2.99 per month for web access (or £3.99/month on mobile) to stop seeing ads. This subscription applies to both Facebook and Instagram accounts linked in the Meta Accounts Center. The company asserts that this option provides a clear choice regarding whether user data is used for personalized advertising, while also allowing Meta to maintain a revenue stream. The pricing is noted to be significantly lower than the initial subscription price offered in the EU.

Regulatory Divergence The ICO has welcomed Meta’s change in approach, stating that it moves the company away from making targeted ads a condition of service, which was deemed inconsistent with U.K. law. This contrasts with the ongoing regulatory pushback Meta has faced in the European Union, where some campaigners argue the “pay-or-consent” model undermines the GDPR’s focus on data protection. Meta has positioned the U.K.’s regulatory environment as “pro-growth and pro-innovation,” allowing for a clearer choice for users compared to what it describes as “overreach” from EU regulators.