Meta plans to offer European Instagram and Facebook users the option to remove ads on their desktops and phones, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The outlet reports that the tech giant plans to offer paid subscription tiers for its social media apps as a direct response to a new European Union law requiring a user to provide consent before showing personalized ads. The paid ad-free tier is reportedly rolling out to EU users in the coming months.
Meta did not immediately respond to IGN's request for comment.
The WSJ notes that Meta officials had elaborated on the plans in meetings held with EU regulators last month. Some of the pricing reported included $14 a month for ad-free access on Instagram on their phones or $17 a month for ad-free Instagram and Facebook on desktops. Users can continue to use either app for free but must give Meta permission to show the user personalized ads.
Meta's revenue relies heavily on advertising, with the company reporting in its second-quarter revenues in July that out of the $32 billion it generated in that quarter, $31.5 billion came from advertising.
In recent years, social media apps have begun finding alternative ways to increase revenue streams that are not heavily reliant on ad revenue, offering users the option to ditch the ads for a monthly fee. Most notably, the social media platform X offers a Premium plan that does not entirely remove ads, but users see 50% fewer ads on their X feed and receive other incentives. TikTok announced earlier this week it was also exploring an ad-free subscription tier on its platform, but it's a small test limited to an undisclosed single market for now.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
