Meta announced on Friday, September 26, 2025, it will launch paid, ad-free subscription plans for Facebook and Instagram in the United Kingdom within weeks, forcing users to make a choice between their privacy and their wallet.
The move introduces a two-tier system: users can continue using the platforms for free while being served targeted ads based on their personal data, or they can pay a monthly fee to scroll without any advertisements.
The subscription is priced at £2.99 per month on the web and £3.99 per month on iOS and Android mobile apps.
This strategic shift is a direct response to mounting pressure from European and UK regulators, who have challenged the legal basis for Meta’s data-driven advertising model.
The social media parent company has already introduced a similar model in the European Union to comply with stringent data privacy rules.
Meta spokesperson revealed: “This approach allows us to continue offering a free service to the vast majority of users who are willing to see ads, while giving people more control over their online experience.”
Subscribers to the ad-free tier will not see any ads, and Meta has confirmed it will not use their data for advertising purposes.
In addition to that, Meta’s advertising business, which generated over 98% of its $164.5 billion revenue last year, relies on the very data collection practices that regulators are now restricting.