With the internet, gone are the days where one-size-fits-all promotions litter random billboards and magazines.
Thanks to modern technologies, websites and apps can use trackers to follow users wherever they are online, and gather their habits to conclude their interest. The entities that utilize this the most, are social media platforms. And the largest of them all, is Meta.
It has long been known that the social media titan does whatever it can to gather user data, profile them, all that in order to serve them the most relevant ads in its inventory.
Due to its massive influence and reach, and also advertisers, Meta has no shortage of ads.
This translates to money.
But what if if can earn money without going through all the troubles?
Starting to users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland, Meta wants to start offering them a choice to experience Facebook and Instagram the way they use to, or, pay a monthly subscription fee to use the platforms without ads.
"We believe in a free, ad-supported internet – and will continue to offer people free access to our personalized products and services regardless of income," the company said in the announcement.
"Whether people choose to use our products for free with ads or subscribe to stop seeing ads, we are committed to keeping people’s information private and secure, under our own policies as well as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)."
"While people are subscribed, their information will not be used for ads," the company added.
Meta said that the price they have to pay, in order for it to stop tracking them, is €9.99/month for users of the two apps for the web, or €12.99/month on iOS and Android.
"As is the case for many online subscriptions, the iOS and Android pricing take into account the fees that Apple and Google charge through respective purchasing policies," explained Meta.
Users have until March 1, 2024, to have this initial initial subscription offer because after that date, "an additional fee of €6/month on the web and €8/month on iOS and Android will apply for each additional account listed in a user’s Account Center," continued Meta.
"The subscription for no ads will be available for people aged 18 and up, and we’re continuing to explore how to provide teens with a useful and responsible ad experience given this evolving regulatory landscape," Meta said.
As for the reason why it is doing this, the company believes that "an ad-supported internet, which gives people access to personalized products and services regardless of their economic status."
"It also allows small businesses to reach potential customers, grow their business and create new markets, driving growth in the European economy. And like other companies we’ll continue to advocate for an ad-supported internet, even with our new subscription offering in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. But we respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them."
In other words, the subscription business model is meant to address concerns by the European Union about Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices.
By making users choose between paying for the service to remove ad targeting or using the service for free but consenting to its data collection practices, Meta believes that it can be more clear and definitive, and could meet the privacy requirements set by a collection of European data laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.
"We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them," Meta said.
While this makes Facebook and Instagram a bit more like X, formerly Twitter, which has started offering users subscription for added perks, the change by Meta is something that has been asked by a lot of people.
Meta is a massive stalker. By paying a free, that money is to hush Meta and make it stop following people around. It's a price people have to pay to escape its gaze.
And for what this means for advertisers, Meta said that they can still continue running personalized advertising campaigns in Europe, but they can only reach those who choose to continue to receive a free, ad-supported online service.