Meta cuts price of ad-free subscription in Europe by 40%

Meta has announced further adjustments to its ad-free subscription offering in Europe, reducing the price by 40% in response to evolving EU data regulations and consumer protection requirements.

The social media platform stated that the new price adjustment is intended to enhance the appeal of its ad-free option amid continued scrutiny from EU regulatory bodies. 

“Going forward, people based in the EU will still have the option to choose between subscribing for an ad-free experience or continuing to access our services for free. For those people who choose to continue using our services for free, they’ll now also be able to choose to see less personalised ads,” Meta stated. However, the company reaffirmed its commitment to personalised advertising, calling it “the cornerstone of a free and inclusive internet.”

The ad-free subscription service, initially launched in November last year, aimed to comply with EU requirements by giving users the option to opt out of targeted advertising. This alternative, priced at €9.99 per month, allowed access to both Facebook and Instagram without personal data collection, meeting new EU data rules while maintaining the platforms' business model.

Despite the changes, the subscription model has faced challenges from advisory groups, who argue that it conflicts with GDPR’s principles against data-driven commercialisation. In response to additional scrutiny, Meta previously halved the subscription price in March and added a 'less personalised ads' option for users who opt not to subscribe, allowing them to limit data sharing.

The platform indicated that less personalised ads may be less relevant to users, given the reduced data available for targeting. Additionally, the company plans to introduce brief unskippable ad breaks to reach a broader audience, compensating for the drop in ad targeting precision.

The modifications reflect Meta’s attempts to comply with EU regulations while minimising revenue loss from restricted data usage.