Meta may offer paid ad-free Facebook and Instagram in Europe

Meta could allow users to pay for Facebook and Instagram to avoid ads in their feeds, at least in Europe.

The New York Times reports that Meta is considering a paid subscription to its social media products, an attempt by Meta to assuage EU concerns about data privacy and ads. There is no information available on the price or release date, and it is not confirmed if the product will actually be released.

Meta did not respond to a request for comment.

The company has been fighting with the EU and other European regulators over alleged privacy violations by its ad tracking and data transfer services. The Irish Data Protection Commission fined Meta $1.3 billion for transferring European user data to the US, a violation of the GDPR. The United States and the EU signed a data transfer agreement in July, easing restrictions on social media platforms.

Meta has already started offering the ability to opt out of targeted advertising in the EU and has reportedly proposed going further and changing it to an opt-in option for everyone in the region.

Meta has also delayed the launch of its new social platform, Threads, in Europe due to regulatory concerns. Meta seems to be concerned about the upcoming Digital Markets Law that prevents companies from reusing users’ personal data, including their name and location.