Ad-free versions of Instagram and Facebook could launch in Europe
Apps such as Instagram and Facebook are “free” to use, meaning that users do not need to pay anything to use it. The downside is that your data is being collected and sold to advertisers who then create ads that target you and your interests.
It looks like that could change, because a report from the New York Times claims to have heard from their sources that apparently, Meta is planning ad-free versions of Instagram and Facebook that could launch in the EU.
Given the EU’s strict privacy laws, which various tech companies like Meta have been trying to adapt to, creating an ad-free version of Instagram and Facebook could help ease up the pressure on the company. Of course, since there will be no ads, Meta plans on charging users to use these apps as a way to recoup potential revenue losses.
The report goes on to claim that this will be completely optional, and that ad-supported versions of the apps will continue to exist alongside the paid version, but users will have the option of paying for it if they’d rather have an ad-free experience. There’s no word on when these apps will launch, if at all, but what do you think? Would you pay to use Instagram/Facebook if it means there are no ads and your privacy is better guaranteed?
Source: The New York Times