Um, Meta is introducing a monthly charge for Facebook and Instagram users soon – here’s why

Instagram has been rolling out a lot of new features recently. In fact, it launched five new features in one go. On top of that, it has made other changes like reversing Highlights and moving DMs. Now, Meta is making a much bigger change that will affect Facebook and Instagram users in the UK.

So, basically, Meta is about to roll out a new monthly charge in the next few weeks. Users will see a new option when they log in. You can continue to see personalised ads as usual, or you can pay a monthly fee to use the platforms without ads. On a computer, the fee will be £2.99 per month. On iPhone or Android, it will be £3.99 per month. If your Facebook and Instagram accounts are linked, you only need to pay once. For any additional accounts, there will be an extra fee for each one.

So, why is this happening now?

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

The reason for this change is related to privacy concerns. Many people have long worried about how their data is used and how phones may listen in. The UK’s privacy regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has stated that Meta cannot track people without their consent. According to The Guardian , Meta is giving users a choice: Either allow tracking for free or pay to remove the ads.

This approach is similar to what users in the EU can already do. However, in the UK, there is no option to receive fewer targeted ads without paying. You either continue using the free service with personalised ads or subscribe to go ad-free.

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Mark Zuckerberg has previously said that there will always be a free version of Facebook. This remains true. However, if you choose not to pay, your feed will continue to show personalised ads based on your activity. Users will need to decide whether they prefer a free service with ads or a paid subscription without them.

For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook. Featured image via dole777 on Unsplash.