Meta considers charging for Facebook and Instagram in the UK

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta is considering a paid membership in the UK that will remove advertisements from their platforms.

Under the schemes, people using social media sites can be asked to pay for advertising experience if they do not want their data to be tracked.

It comes as a company Agreed to stop a British woman from targeting advertisements After a long legal battle last week.

The meta already provides advertising membership for Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union, starting at € 5.99 (£ 5) a month.

A spokesperson of the firm said that the company was “discovery” to offer a uniform service in the UK.

He said that after a consultation in the firm 2024, the membership service was “creatively attractive” with the UK data watchdog about the service service.

Information commissioner office Said earlier Meta was required to consider data safety concerns before launching Ad-Free membership.

Meta says that individual advertisements allow their platforms to be free at the point of access.

The guidance issued by the regulator in January states that Users must be presented with a real free option,

Meta, such as social media platforms, rely on advertising revenue, and the company says that individual advertisements allow their platforms to free their platforms.

Advertisement is responsible for more than 96% revenue Its latest quarterly financial results,

Other social platforms, including Snapchat, Tikok and X (East Twitter), have also seen advertising options as ways to raise more money through membership.

Many online services, such as news publishers, are asking users to either pay or consent when using the platform for free.

Mentor Become the latest UK publisher to do this in MarchDaily mirrors follow the footsteps of independent and others.

The advertising model, known as “consent or salary”, has become increasingly popular.

Publishers say they have no option due to increasing pressure on their finance, while campaigners say it is unfair for users to ask them to pay in exchange for not being targeted with advertisements.

According to ICO, the “consent or salary” model may foul in the data protection law in the UK if the user’s consent is not “given independently”.

“If the organizations choose to adopt a ‘consent or payment’ model, they should show,” a spokesman told the BBC, that the model UK is in line with the data protection law. ”

“This means that, among other data security standards, organizations should show that people can independently give their consent to the processing of their personal information for personal advertising.”

Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union are able to subscribe to advertisements at their feed From October 2023,

Meta initially launched its advertising membership at a cost of € 9.99 per month.

But it reduced its prices and said that it would not be ready to pay users to pay advertisements, which are “less personal”, In response to regulator concerns,

It said that users will still see advertisements, but they can be “less relevant” for their interests.

But social media expert Matt Navra said that he feels that an advertising membership would be limited in Britain, which he says that has been a case in the European Union.

“Most users will pay with their data instead of parts with real cash,” they told the BBC.

He said that Meta’s plans can represen the future proof effort against further regulation by offering an option instead.

“This meta is the construction of a safety trap for a future where the data collection gets very messy,” he said.

“We are entering the era where people have to choose between money and privacy and for now, most will continue to scroll for free.”