Meta Rolls Out “No Ads” Subscription in U.K. Amid Regulatory Push

Meta is introducing a new ad-free subscription option for Facebook and Instagram users in the United Kingdom, giving consumers the choice to either continue using its services with personalized ads or pay for an ad-free experience.

The subscription will cost £2.99 a month for web users and £3.99 for iOS and Android users, reflecting platform fee differences. Meta says the change responds to evolving regulatory guidance from the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and is meant to give users “a clear choice about whether their data is used for personalised advertising.”

In a statement, the ICO welcomed Meta’s pivot: “This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions … People must be given meaningful transparency and choice about how their information is used.”

While Meta has faced pushback in the European Union over the design and fairness of its ad-free plans, the U.K. appears to be taking a somewhat more flexible stance. Meta framed the shift as part of a “consent or pay” structure: users can either consent to targeted advertising or pay to opt out of ads entirely.

This subscription model is not unprecedented: Meta previously rolled out similar options in European markets, though those versions ran into regulatory scrutiny. Critics, including privacy advocacy groups, have warned that “consent or pay” schemes risk pressuring users to relinquish data rights or suffer degraded service. However, the company emphasizes that those who remain on the free path will still have access to all regular features and ad-preference controls.