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Facebook and Instagram users criticized the launch of a new paid service to remove ads from the two platforms.
Mark Zuckerberg’s company, the parent company that owns the two social media sites, said it would launch a subscription option to comply with European Union regulations.
This change will force millions of users to decide whether they want to face personalized ads, or pay for ad-free viewing.
But users attacked the idea, vowing to delete their accounts rather than pay for the privilege of no ads.
Monthly subscription plans will cost €9.99 (£8.72) for web users, while iOS and Android users will have to pay €12.99 (£11.35) per month. It will not be available in the UK.
Not happy: Facebook and Instagram users have criticized the launch of a new paid service to enjoy an ad-free experience on the two platforms
Users attacked the idea, vowing to delete their accounts rather than pay for the privilege of no ads
“Who’s going to pay for that?” one social media user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while another simply said “bye.”
“I seriously wonder who would pay €10 a month just to use a social media platform, let alone Facebook,” another X user wrote.
One account named “SoulReaver” added: “Lol I would love to see someone would pay for this,” while another added: “I still won’t pay for this.”
Others pointed to Elon Musk’s recent decision to offer a subscription service on X, which was originally called Twitter Blue but has now been renamed X Premium.
“This guy Zuckerberg is a copycat. Just imitating Elon’s moves. Please be a little creative,” one user said.
Another added: “Just €9.99 to remove the ad is a scam.” Even though I’m not a fan of the blue color, at least it offers a lot of features that make it worth the $8 price.’
Earlier this year, Meta was fined €390m (£340m) for breaching EU databases relating to advertising.
That was said Consent cannot be “forced” by saying consumers must accept how their data is used or leave platforms.
A number of users had already threatened to delete their accounts when the subscription model was first rumored. Some described it as just “another way to make money.”
Meta later said it intends to require users in the European Union to obtain their consent before allowing companies to target ads in order to address a number of evolving regulatory requirements in the region.
Offering a choice between a free, ad-supported plan and a paid subscription without ads may result in users choosing the former, helping Meta comply with regulations without impacting its advertising business, a major source of revenue for the company.
Meta said its new subscription aims to address EU concerns, not make money.
“We believe in the ad-supported Internet, which gives people access to personalized products and services regardless of their economic status,” the company said in a blog post.
Monthly subscription plans will cost €9.99 (£8.72) for web users, while iOS and Android users will have to pay €12.99 (£11.35) per month. However, many users said they would not pay for it
“The option for people to purchase an ad-free subscription balances the requirements of European regulators while giving users freedom of choice and allowing Meta to continue serving everyone in the EU, EEA and Switzerland.”
“We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and we are committed to complying with them.”
Under the plan, Meta will charge €9.99 (£8.72) per month on desktop for a Facebook or Instagram account.
There will be an additional fee of €6 (£5.24) for each additional linked account.
Meanwhile, on mobile, the price per account jumps to €12.99 (£11.35).
This is because Meta will have to take into account the commissions charged by Apple and Google app stores.
According to Meta, there are currently 258 million monthly users of Facebook in the EU, while 257 million users turn to Instagram every month.
Under the plan, Meta will charge €9.99 (£8.72) per month on desktop for a Facebook or Instagram account. On mobile, the price per account jumps to €12.99 (£11.35)
Others pointed to Elon Musk’s recent decision to offer a subscription service on X, which was originally called Twitter Blue but has now been renamed X Premium. “This guy Zuckerberg is a copycat. Just imitating Elon’s moves. Please be a little creative,” one user said.
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