Huge Facebook and Instagram update for users who hate being bombarded with ads

Social media giants Facebookand Instagram have been forced to launch ad-free options for their millions of UK users.

The two hugely popular sites, both owned by US heavyweight Meta, will instead offer a subscription model costing £2.99 or £3.99 a month. The company, run by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, has been forced to comply with rules from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office and in the wake of a landmark privacy case.

Facebook and Instragram users still be able scroll for free, but will have to see adverts on the platforms.

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The paid option, which will rolled over of the coming weeks. is likely to appeal to those who complain they are bombarded with far too many adverts which can clog up their feeds.

Meta already offers an ad-free option for Facebook and Instagram in Europe for £5 a month. It does not apply to the UK because of Brexit.

Social media sites such as Meta rely heavily on advertising, and say personalised ads allow its platforms to be free to use. Others such as Snapchat and TikTok have also looked at ad-free options. However, it is unclear how many UK users of Facebook and Instragram will be willing to pay.

The £2.99 price applies to users who sign-up via the web, whereas £3.99 a month if for those who do so through an app. It will apply to all Facebook and Instagram accounts that a person has, but there is a separate charge for each platform.

The ICO has previously said it expected Meta to consider data protection concerns before it launched an ad-free subscription.

Meta said it was acting in “response to recent UK regulatory guidance and following extensive engagement with the ICO.” It added: “This will give people based in the UK the choice between continuing to use Facebook and Instagram for free with personalised ads, or subscribing to stop seeing ads.”

In March, Meta agreed to stop targeting a UK campaigner with adverts based on her personal data in a legal agreement which avoided a trial in the High Court in London. Human rights campaigner Tanya O’Carroll had filed a lawsuit against Facebook’s collection of personal details. The ICO had supported her stance and at the time agreed that Meta was “processing Ms O’Carroll’s personal data for direct marketing purposes”.

Meta also used the announcements to criticise the EU’s approach, which also requires the offer a “less personalised” ad option.

It said: “EU regulators continue to overreach by requiring us to provide a less personalised ads experience that goes beyond what the law requires, creating a worse experience for users and businesses. In contrast, the UK’s more pro-growth and pro-innovation regulatory environment allows for a clearer choice for users, while ensuring our personalised advertising tools can continue to be engines of growth and productivity for companies up and down the country. In 2024 alone, Meta’s advertising technologies were linked to £65 billion in economic activity and over 357,000 jobs in the UK.”

An ICO spokesperson said: "We welcome Meta's decision to ask users for consent to use their personal information to target them with ads. This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we've been clear is not in line with UK law.

"People must be given meaningful transparency and choice about how their information is used. At the same time, the ICO recognises that online platforms, like every business, need to operate commercially."

The ICO said Meta's charges were "close to half that of EU users". It will now monitor the rollout of the subscription service to "ensure consumers are empowered to make choices and are able to give their consent freely".