Meta to launch ad-free Facebook and Instagram subscriptions in UK

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Meta Platforms said on Friday it would offer an ad-free subscription option to Facebook and Instagram users in the United Kingdom in the coming weeks. 

The move will give users a choice between paying a monthly fee or continuing to use the services for free with targeted advertising, a model that has faced increasing scrutiny from European regulators. 

The subscriptions, priced at 2.99 pounds ($3.99) a month on the web and 3.99 pounds on iOS and Android, reflect similar offerings Meta has rolled out in the European Union to comply with data privacy rules. 

The latest announcement comes after the country's data protection authority raised concerns about how platforms handle personal information for advertising. 

Meta said the ad-free tier was designed to give people more control over their online experience while preserving the company's ability to provide free services funded by ads. Users who choose the paid plan will not see ads and their data will not be used for advertising purposes. 

The shift reflects a broader industry trend as tech firms face pressure from regulators over the use of personal data and targeted ads. Apple and Alphabet's Google have also made changes in response to privacy demands, reshaping how online advertising works. 

Meta's ads business accounted for about 98% of its $164.5 billion in revenue last year, making the balancing act between privacy rules and ad sales central to its growth strategy.