• Source:JND
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Instagram and Facebook, which are owned by Meta, may get a paid version to deal with increasing regulatory scrutiny and privacy issues in the European Union (EU). According to The New York Times, citing its top sources, the rumoured paid version will provide an ad-free experience.

The report claims users in the EU who choose to pay for these memberships won't see advertisements when using the platforms. In addition, Meta plans to keep providing free, ad-supported versions of Facebook and Instagram so that customers can choose between the two types of services.

This strategic choice appears as an effort by Meta to meet growing regulatory issues and privacy concerns in the EU. In order to deliver specific advertisements, the company's primary business model significantly relies on analysing user data, a practice that has come under growing scrutiny from European regulators in recent years.

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Meta reached this decision after a series of setbacks in its discussions with EU antitrust officials. In July, the social media giant lost a legal battle against a German rule from 2019 that prohibited it from collecting user data without their express consent. Due to the company's difficulties adhering to EU privacy requirements, Meta had to look into new revenue streams that are compliant with local data protection laws.

The cost of these paid versions of Facebook and Instagram remains undisclosed at the time of writing an article. Meta has not yet provided an official response to this development or confirmed the specifics of the paid subscription plans to Reuters.

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The launch of premium, ad-free versions of its platforms in the EU might mark a big shift for Meta and determine the future of online advertising in the region. Users will now be able to choose between the ease of a free, ad-supported experience and the greater privacy provided by a subscription-based model.