Fans of Meta’s platforms may want to consider Europe as your next destination to head to. Since the enactment of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation or G.D.P.R, Meta has been in contention with the union on data regarding their user base – especially advertising related data. A new option however has popped up for European Meta users related to personal data safety.
According to the New York Times, Meta is considering offering European users paid versions of their popular platforms Facebook and Instagram. The new version will have no advertising – a response to regulatory scrutiny in Europe.
The plan is still in the early stages but the paid plan will remove all traces of ads in the apps. Free tiers of Instagram and Facebook will still be offered to European users, and no price tiers have been shared or leaked online.
The new paid tier could provide users with an alternative to Meta’s ad-based services, reducing privacy concerns and regulatory scrutiny from the E.U.
Offering paid tier for Meta customers is just mirroring what most of the tech space has been moving towards, with companies offering both free and paid tiers of the same platform, with additional benefits for paying customers.
The European Union will implement a new law called the Digital Markets Act in the coming year. This law will oblige large tech platforms to modify some of their business practices to promote healthy competition, resulting in far-reaching effects. One of the most significant changes will be that Apple users in the European Union will be able to download alternative app stores for their iPhones and iPads, which was not previously possible.
[SOURCE]
