Meta will offer UK users paid subscriptions to use Facebook and Instagram without advertisements after the Information Commissioner’s Office determined the company’s advertising model violated UK law.
The ICO welcomed Meta’s decision to seek user consent for personalised advertising, moving away from targeting users with ads as standard terms and conditions for using its services.
“This 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,” an ICO spokesperson said.
Meta will charge £2.99/month on web browsers or £3.99/month on iOS and Android devices for the first account, with additional accounts costing £2/month on web or £3/month on mobile platforms. The higher mobile pricing reflects fees charged by Apple and Google through their purchasing policies.
The ICO confirmed Meta significantly reduced subscription pricing during regulatory discussions, resulting in UK users paying approximately half the price of EU users for similar services.
“During the course of our engagement with Meta, it significantly lowered the starting price point at which users would be offered a subscription,” the ICO spokesperson said.
The regulator also addressed pricing fairness concerns. “Meta has also responded to the ICO’s request that the price set provides UK consumers with a fair choice between consenting to targeted ads using their data or paying to subscribe to no ads,” the ICO spokesperson said.
Users choosing the free service will continue seeing personalised advertisements and retain access to existing advertising control tools, including Ad Preferences and “Why am I seeing this ad?” explanations.
Meta positioned the UK’s regulatory approach as more business-friendly than the European Union’s requirements. The company stated that in 2024, Meta’s advertising technologies generated £65 billion in economic activity and supported over 357,000 jobs in the UK, with every pound spent on Meta advertising driving an average £3.82 in revenue for UK businesses.
“In updating its services in this way, Meta has taken steps to address its non-compliance,” the ICO spokesperson said.
The regulator emphasised ongoing monitoring requirements. “We now expect Meta to assess the impact of implementing this new model, specifically understanding the choices made by its users in response to the changes, to ensure Meta continues to comply with UK law,” the ICO spokesperson said.
The subscription rollout will begin over the coming weeks for UK users over 18 years old, with dismissible notifications allowing existing users time to consider their options before requiring a decision.
