Would you pay for an ad-free Instagram? UK users will be able to.
Users in the United Kingdom will soon be able to purchase an ad-free version of Instagram and Facebook.
Subscriptions will start at £2.99/month on the web or £3.99/month on iOS and Android. The exact timeline of the change is unclear, Meta writing in a statement that it would become available "over the coming weeks." The price is for each Meta account, meaning the purchase should cover a user's Insta and FB, if they use both platforms.
"The UK’s more pro-growth and pro-innovation regulatory environment will mean more choice for users, continued free access to Facebook and Instagram for those who prefer that option, and ongoing support for businesses who rely on our personalised advertising tools as an engine of growth and productivity," the company wrote.
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The move from Meta is in response to UK regulatory efforts and guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The idea is that people should have the ability to opt-out of their data being used in ads. The ICO said it welcomed the change.
"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," the office wrote in a statement. “People must be given meaningful transparency and choice about how their information is used."
Topics Facebook Instagram Advertising Meta
Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).
