Meta may allow users in Europe to pay for Facebook and Instagram to avoid ads in their feeds.
According to a report by The New York Times Meta is considering introducing a paid subscription model for its social media products.
-Paid subscription-
Evidently, a model that has been fully embraced by X(formerly Twitter) which drew criticism and scrutiny at the onslaught.
Admittedly, this is part of an effort to address the European Union’s concerns regarding data privacy and advertising.
It’s worth noting that there is currently no information available regarding the pricing.
-The release date-
Consequently, Meta has not released a date or a timeframe for this potential rollout.
Nevertheless, it remains unconfirmed whether Meta will ultimately launch it.
As of now, Meta has not responded to requests for comments on this matter.
-Legal troubles-
Nevertheless, Meta has been engaged in ongoing disputes with the EU and other European regulatory bodies over alleged privacy violations.
The EU’s concern stems from Meta’s ad-tracking services and data transfers.
Notably, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission imposed a fine of $1.3 billion on Met. This was after Meta made the unauthorized transfer of European users’ data to the United States.
This action was a clear violation of GDPR regulations. However, In July, the US and the EU entered into a data transfer agreement.
-Meta’s damage control-
This agreement was instrumental in relaxing some of the restrictions placed on social media platforms.
In response to these privacy concerns, Meta has already started offering users in the EU the ability to opt out of targeted advertising.
Furthermore, it has reportedly proposed a more comprehensive approach by making targeted advertising an opt-in feature as well.
-The state of rollout-
Additionally, Meta has postponed the European release of its new social platform, Threads.
Evidently, this is due to regulatory worries. The company appears to be particularly concerned about the forthcoming Digital Markets Act.
The act aims to prevent companies from reusing personal user data, including their names and locations.
With massive changes rocking the digital space over data privacy, Meta might witness stifled growth.
