Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is set to offer users the option of receiving fewer personalised ads without needing to pay for a subscription, following pressure from the European Commission.
The move aims to resolve a dispute with Brussels.
In April, the European Union’s executive body fined the US tech giant €200 million for violating new digital market regulations.
Up until November 2024, Meta had required users to choose between consenting to targeted ads based on personal data or paying to avoid them, under a “consent or pay” model.
Although Meta later introduced a modified advertising system to comply with rules, the Commission said the updated model still did not fully adhere to regulations.
Meta intends to launch a revised system in January. Under this plan, users who opt out of a subscription will have a clearer choice: they can either agree to share all their data for fully personalised ads or share less data and receive less targeted advertising.
A spokesperson for the Commission stated: “The case is not concluded, but this is a very positive step.”
The Commission stressed that it will assess the promised updates once they are implemented, before closing the case.
