Meta has announced a 40% cut in subscription fees for ad-free access to its social media platforms of Facebook and Instagram for users in the European Union, as part of its efforts to comply with regulatory demands in the region.
“These changes respond to the requirements set by EU regulators and go beyond the thresholds mandated by EU legislation,” Meta President Nick Clegg wrote on Tuesday in a post on Threads.
The social media giant also revealed that it will continue to offer free access to Facebook and Instagram for EU users, provided they agree to see ads based on a limited set of user data.
Meta initially launched its ad-free subscription service in the EU in October 2023, following an EU regulation aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices by tech companies; a service that came into effect after regional regulators imposed a fine of over 400 million euros on Meta for violations of EU data privacy laws.
The company has now announced a price reduction for this monthly subscription, lowering it from 9.99 euros to 5.99 euros for desktop users and from 12.99 euros to 7.99 euros for iOS and Android users.
Furthermore, for EU users who opt for the “less personalized” free access option, Meta stated they will see ads that “may be less relevant to an individual’s interests.” Ads under this model will be based on “a minimal set of data points,” including the user’s age, gender, location, and ad interactions.
Additionally, EU users choosing the free option will also encounter non-skippable ads designed to “deliver value to advertisers,” Meta added.
The stringent regulations in the EU have impacted Meta’s ability to roll out new services in the region as swiftly as in less regulated markets like the United States. For instance, in 2023, Meta’s launch of its Threads service, a Twitter-like platform, took nearly half a year longer to reach European users compared to other regions.
