Meta Platforms plans to give European users of Instagram and Facebook the option of receiving what it says are "less personalized ads," a concession to regulators that risks hitting the company's revenue in one of its largest markets, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The social-media company plans in coming days to begin prompting users in Europe with the choice of the new ad format, without paying a fee, according to people briefed on the plans.
The less-personalized format will show European users what Meta calls contextual ads based on content that a user sees during a given browsing session, rather than a user's broader activity history, like the ads most users now see peppered into their feeds and stories on Meta's apps.
Some of the new ads -- which will also be targeted based on age, gender and location -- will cover the whole screen and be unskippable for a few seconds.
Meta's new ad option comes amid pressure from European Union regulators who say users should have access to a free version of the company's apps with less-personalized ads. It is unclear if the new concessions will satisfy EU regulators.
Meta posted: Facebook and Instagram to Offer Subscription for No Ads In Europe
Today, we are announcing important changes to Facebook and Instagram in the EU, including reducing the price of subscription for no ads by 40%. Going forward, people based in the EU will still have the option to chose between subscribing for an ad-free experience or continuing to access our services for free.
For those people who choose to continue using our services for free, they'll now also be able to choose to see less personalized ads. However, we remain committed to personalized advertising, which will also way be the cornerstone of a free and inclusive internet.
Significantly lowering the price of Subscriptions for no ads
From tomorrow, we will reduce the price of the monthly subscription from €9.99 to €5.99/month on the web, or from €12.99 to €7.99/month on iOS and Android. Each additional Facebook or Instagram account will be charged at €4/month on the web and €5/month on iOS and Android.
While our previous price was fairly in line with peers, this lower pricing means that our subscription service will be one of the cheapest across our peers. Existing subscribers do not need to take any action - the price they pay will be automatically reduced...
Reuters reported Meta Platforms plans to offer Instagram and Facebook users in Europe the option to receive "less personalized ads," the tech giant announced on Tuesday, in an effort to allay regulators' mounting concerns.
Over the coming week, people in the EU who use the company's social media platforms for free with ads will be able to choose to see ads based on what Meta calls "context" - content that a user sees during a particular session on the platforms.
In my opinion, I think that people in the EU who currently use Facebook and/or Instagram are not going to be happy about having ads pop up while they are trying to have a conversation with their loved ones.