The proposal from Meta – which, among other things, owns Instagram and Facebook – is a response to the EU's regulation on digital markets and the Irish data protection authorities' stricter requirements on social networks – which, among other things, limit the possibility of using targeted advertisements without first obtaining user consent.
For computer users, the monthly fee would be slightly lower than for mobile users, with reference to Meta having to take into account the fees charged by Apple and Google in their app systems when pricing.
The new EU rules can have significant consequences for Meta's main source of income from Instagram and Facebook, namely the revenue generated from targeted advertisements based on user activity on the social network.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Meta has informed EU authorities that it plans to launch the option for users to pay for accounts without targeted advertisements in the coming months. At the same time, Meta is said to want to maintain the option to offer free accounts with targeted advertisements.
It is still unclear whether the relevant authorities – both Irish and Brussels-based – will approve Meta's plan or whether they will push for cheaper offers or a free version where advertisements are not tailored based on user activity in the social networks.
