WTF?! Would you pay a monthly fee to use Facebook and Instagram without the ads? Some users may soon have the opportunity to do just that. Meta recently pitched a plan to European regulators that would allow Instagram users to pay around $14 per month for an ad-free IG experience on mobile, or about $17 per month to include Facebook in the bundle.
The initiative, dubbed subscription no ads, or SNA for short, could start rolling out in selection European nations within the coming months, sources familiar with the proposal told The Wall Street Journal.
The publication said the proposal is an answer by Meta to European Union rules that would limit the company's ability to show users targeted ads based on data collected without their consent. Ad revenue is Meta's bread and butter, so anything that challenges that will most certainly be addressed, one way or another.
Once implemented, the change would give users in select regions the option to continue using Facebook and Instagram for free with personalized ads, or pay to unlock a version without any ads (and presumably, limited personal data collection). Access to ad-free services would be more expensive for mobile users, sources said, because Meta would have to account for commissions charged by Apple and Google app stores for in-app payments.
It is worth reiterating that Meta's proposal is limited to the European Union to appease regulators. If you are in the US or elsewhere, don't expect to see Facebook or Instagram premium subscription offerings anytime soon.
There is also no guarantee at this stage that regulators will accept Meta's proposal as presented. They very well could insist the company reduce its proposed pricing or make them offer a free version with ads that aren't based on user activity.
The question stands: if given the opportunity, would you pay to ditch ads and limit data collection on Facebook and Instagram? What'd it be worth to you?
Image credit: Julio Lopez, Alexander Shatov