Facebook and Instagram owner Meta is considering a paid subscription in the UK which would remove adverts from its platforms.
Under the plans, people using the social media sites could be asked to pay for an ad-free experience if they do not want their data to be tracked.
It comes as the company agreed to stop targeting ads at a British woman last week following a protracted legal battle.
Meta already provides ad-free subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram users in the EU, starting from €5.99 (£5) a month.
A spokesperson for the firm said the company was “exploring the option” of offering a similar service in the UK.
They said the firm was “engaging constructively” with the UK data watchdog about the subscription service, following a consultation in 2024.
The Information Commissioner’s Office previously said it expected Meta to consider data protection concerns before it launched an ad-free subscription.
Meta says personalised advertising allows its platforms to be free at the point of access.
Guidance issued by the regulator in January states that users must be presented with a genuine free choice.
Social media platforms such as Meta heavily rely on ad revenues, and the company says personalised advertising allows its platforms to be free.
Advertising accounted for more than 96% of its revenue in its latest quarterly financial results.
Other social platforms including Snapchat, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have also looked to ad-free options as a way to raise more money through subscriptions.
Consent or pay
A number of online services, such as news publishers, are asking users to either pay up or consent to being tracked while using the platform for free.
The Guardian became the latest UK publisher to start doing this in March, following in the footsteps of the Daily Mirror, the Independent and others.
The advertising model, known as “consent or pay”, has become increasingly popular.
Publishers say they have no choice due to growing pressures on their finances, while campaigners say it is unfair to users to ask them to pay up in exchange for not being targeted with ads.
And “consent or pay” models may fall foul of data protection law in the UK if a user’s consent has not been “freely given”, according to the ICO.
“If organisations choose to adopt a ‘consent or pay’ model, they must demonstrate the model is compliant with UK data protection law,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
“This means that, among other data protection standards, organisations must demonstrate that people can freely give their consent to processing of their personal information for personalised advertising.”
Would it work in the UK?
Users of Facebook and Instagram in the EU have been able to subscribe in order to avoid adverts on their feeds since October 2023.
Meta initially launched its ad-free subscriptions at the cost of €9.99 a month.
But it reduced its prices and said it would provide a way for users not willing to pay to opt to see adverts which are “less personalised”, in response to regulatory concerns.
It said the users will still see ads, but they may be “less relevant” to their interests.
But social media expert Matt Navarra said he thinks an ad-free subscription would see limited uptake in the UK, which he says has been the case in the EU.
“Most users would rather pay with their data than part with real cash,” he told the BBC.
He said Meta’s plans may instead represent an attempt to future-proof against further regulation by offering a choice.
“This is Meta building a safety net for a future where data collection gets a lot messier,” he said.
“We’re entering the era where people have to choose between money and privacy and for now, most will keep scrolling for free.”
By BBC News
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