The EU has reduced Facebook and Instagram subscription fees by 40% to comply with regional regulations.

• To comply with regulatory demands in the European Union, Facebook and Instagram have reduced the price of their ad-free subscription versions by 40%.
• Facebook and Instagram will be accessible to EU users for free if they consent to have their limited user data used for ad targeting, the company announced in a Tuesday blog post.
• Nick Clegg, Meta President, announced changes that exceed EU law requirements and satisfy regulator demands, as stated on Threads on Tuesday.

To comply with regulatory demands in the European Union, Facebook and Instagram have reduced the cost of their ad-free subscription versions by 40% for users in the region.

Facebook and Instagram will be accessible to EU users for free if they consent to have their limited user data used for ad targeting, the company announced in a Tuesday blog post.

In October 2023, Meta launched an ad-free subscription service for the EU in response to an EU regulation aimed at preventing anti-competitive practices by tech companies. The service became effective after the company was fined over $400 million for violating EU data privacy laws.

Nick Clegg, Meta President, announced changes that exceed EU law requirements and satisfy regulator demands, as stated on Threads on Tuesday.

The company announced that it will reduce the monthly subscription price for its EU service. The price for desktop users will be 5.99 euros, while the price for iOS and Android users will be 7.99 euros.

If EU users opt for the "less personalized option" on Facebook and Instagram, they will see ads that may not align with their interests, Meta stated. The company will now display ads based on a limited set of data points, such as age, gender, location, and ad engagement.

EU users who opt for the free version will be shown unskippable ads that aim to benefit advertisers, Meta stated.

Meta's ability to quickly debut new services in the EU has been hindered by the EU's strict regulations, as seen in the case of its Twitter-like Threads service, which took nearly half a year to launch in Europe after its successful debut in the US in 2023.

Pedro Pavón, a Meta global policy director, stated that although EU regulators pose challenges for online-advertising companies to operate in the region, he believes that the practice of offering personalized ads is the "cornerstone of a modern, open internet" and enables individuals to "connect with the brands and products that are most relevant to them in smooth and uninterrupted ways."

Pavón stated in a LinkedIn post that even when presented with several equal choices, most people will still choose our personalized ads service.

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