Meta launches its ad-free subscription for users in the EU

[zwirek2201]

Summary

Some users in the EU received a popup on both web and mobile versions of Facebook prompting them to choose whether they want to subscribe to the ad-free version for EUR 9.99 for both Facebook and Instagram or allow Meta to use all their data for advertising purposes. At the time of writing, Instagram does not seem to be affected. The popup states that user's data will not be used for advertising purposes as long as they're subscribed.

(On attached screenshots of the web version, all text is auto translated from Polish, some wordings may be different than in Android version)

Quotes

Quote

The subscription is meant to address concerns by the European Union about Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices. By making users choose between paying for the service to remove ad targeting or using the service for free but consenting to its data collection practices, Meta believes it will have more clearly and definitively met privacy requirements set by a collection of European data laws, including the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.

 

My thoughts

What happens in case of a failed payment? If user stops their subscription for any amount of time, does it mean their data is automagically used for advertising? What happens if they resubscribe, does their data get deleted again?

I pretty much don't use Facebook anyway, but it stores a lot of memories from years ago when it was my only social media outlet. I wouldn't hesitate for a second whether to delete my account if not for these old photos, videos,  and posts.

 

Sources

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/30/23938283/facebook-instagram-ad-free-subscription-eu
https://about.fb.com/news/2023/10/facebook-and-instagram-to-offer-subscription-for-no-ads-in-europe/

[PDifolco]

It's  basicallty extorsion/blackmail : "we'll sell your data unless you pay us" 

Never touched Insta, may close my FB page (for what's its worth...)

 

[porina]

I really have to question how much ads are really worth. Do they get €9.99/month per user through advertising sales? This isn't unique to Facebook. Similar rates for Twitch and YouTube, but as they're video centric I can imagine costs potentially being higher. FB does video too but it is more mixed. I personally hardly use FB now, and certainly don't use it as a video platform.

 

Maybe it appeals more to heavy users who would get more use out of it. I watch a LOT of YT (PC and mobile), so Premium is kinda worth something to me there. I watch less Twitch, so I don't pay for that. Note I'm only looking at it from an ad perspective, not a privacy one.

[DeerDK]

4 minutes ago, PDifolco said:

It's  basicallty extorsion/blackmail : "we'll sell your data unless you pay us" 

Never touched Insta, may close my FB page (for what's its worth...)

 

Well, that is the 3rd option. It's only if we are in a situation where that is not a real option we enter the extortion scenario. Otherwise it's extortion every time we have to pay for any service or product. 

Or you can call paying for food extortion, although we will be entering political discussions by going that particular route 

[PDifolco]

2 minutes ago, DeerDK said:

Well, that is the 3rd option. It's only if we are in a situation where that is not a real option we enter the extortion scenario. Otherwise it's extortion every time we have to pay for any service or product. 

Or you can call paying for food extortion, although we will be entering political discussions by going that particular route 

I've  got no issue with paying  for something, I pay for a service I chose, good

But what they offer ain't worth my money...

Now they kinda offer people to whore if  they cannot pay,  after having addicted them for years with "free stuff" (they already sold the data, tho)

 

 

[zwirek2201]

5 minutes ago, porina said:

I really have to question how much ads are really worth. Do they get €9.99/month per user through advertising sales? This isn't unique to Facebook. Similar rates for Twitch and YouTube, but as they're video centric I can imagine costs potentially being higher. FB does video too but it is more mixed. I personally hardly use FB now, and certainly don't use it as a video platform.

 

Maybe it appeals more to heavy users who would get more use out of it. I watch a LOT of YT (PC and mobile), so Premium is kinda worth something to me there. I watch less Twitch, so I don't pay for that. Note I'm only looking at it from an ad perspective, not a privacy one.

Yeah, I pay for Youtube Premium because I use it every single day, not just for entertainment, but for learning, basic information and music. Right now in Poland it's HALF the price of the Facebook/Instagram subscription that Meta proposes (25.99PLN for YT Premium vs 56.99PLN) for Meta. It's an incredible value and price difference for me. 

Facebook realizes very well that there are a lot of people that will be forced to agree to these changes because they cannot just stop using FB because they would have to sacrifice their hobbies or interests by leaving groups etc. 

[fohatadri]

I fully understand paying for video/music services like YouTube Music, Spotify and etc.
What would be the point of paying 10 euros for Meta? This is ridiculous.

[venomtail]

I remember a year or two again someone saying that the next step in social media giants struggling to keep afloat on existing business models now that too many competitors exist is subscription models.

 

This will age like milk on a hot summers day and be quickly replaced by new platform that will copy how the giants used to work some 15 years ago.

[DeerDK]

20 minutes ago, PDifolco said:

I've  got no issue with paying  for something, I pay for a service I chose, good

But what they offer ain't worth my money...

Now they kinda offer people to whore if  they cannot pay,  after having addicted them for years with "free stuff" (they already sold the data, tho)

 

 

Thats how they get ya

I dunno, people have said "if it is free, you are the product" for years so I guess I have just grown a bit jaded at this point 

[RejZoR]

I don't trust Facebook/Meta with "pinky promise" that they won't use your data if you're a paying customer.  I may trust ProtonMail with that notion because that is their core business, security, privacy and they built trust of users on top of that, but I wouldn't ever trust Facebook/Meta. Or Google. Or Microsoft. They are all scummy mega corporations who weasle their way through regulations and ultimately lawsuits in the end while pushing their data harvesting.

[wanderingfool2]

2 hours ago, PDifolco said:

It's  basicallty extorsion/blackmail : "we'll sell your data unless you pay us" 

Never touched Insta, may close my FB page (for what's its worth...)

 

That's like walking into a casino, making a large bet, then saying the Casino says you can't cash out mid hand.

 

Unless you were a real early adopter of Facebook, it never really was without using your data for profits.  It's better that they actually are adding an option to pay instead.  In fact, Facebook has always had a history of being scummy with people's data; anyone remember their social experiments they ran or the times they used friend's pictures in advertisements.

[Donut417]

49 minutes ago, wanderingfool2 said:

That's like walking into a casino, making a large bet, then saying the Casino says you can't cash out mid hand.

 

Unless you were a real early adopter of Facebook, it never really was without using your data for profits.  It's better that they actually are adding an option to pay instead.  In fact, Facebook has always had a history of being scummy with people's data; anyone remember their social experiments they ran or the times they used friend's pictures in advertisements.

As I’m not an EU citizen this does not affect me. However I use an Ghostery and uBlock, the minute Facebook demands I stop using ad blockers and want payment to be ad free is the day I deactivate my account. 

[LloydLynx]

11 hours ago, zwirek2201 said:

Just the fact that the dark pattern steers the user away from the recurring monthly charge of 9.99 in favor of harvesting data...

User data must be really fking valuable.

[Mark Kaine]

13 hours ago, DeerDK said:

Well, that is the 3rd option. It's only if we are in a situation where that is not a real option we enter the extortion scenario. Otherwise it's extortion every time we have to pay for any service or product. 

Or you can call paying for food extortion, although we will be entering political discussions by going that particular route 

show me the food store that gives me "free food" when i watch their ads.... lmfao.

 

 

[CodeAsm]

for now i posted a warning for my friends and family about this. and some contact details where to find me. I yeeted the apps from my phone (was already short on space) tiktok got yeeted earlier cause my ESET antivirus warned about it being able to install tojans. MORE space yeey

to temporarily use FB, https://mbasic.facebook.com is facebook without javascript (love that idea already). not sure how long that would work. but its also a nice trigger to say goodbye to FB and Instagram (i used insta way more). the coolest family members dont use any of these anyway (they stopped posting on tiktok) its Discord or snapchat/whatsapp for the zoomers.

[Mark Kaine]

i don't think that people understand that this is literally against the law. If you have a website or app you *need* to give people the option to opt out, doesn't matter if they pay or not lol...

 

This will end well for Google Meta Facebook... 

[Arika]

Firstly; waaaaaay to expensive.

Second; their wording is highly suspect

 

"Your information will not be used for advertising purposes"

 

Doesn't read to me like they are going to stop collecting everything about you....

 

So it's a very expensive adblock for one website/app. You're not paying for privacy.

[darknessblade]

They are already under investigation by members of the European data protection board:

 

https://edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2023/edpb-urgent-binding-decision-processing-personal-data-behavioural-advertising-meta_en

https://www.autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl/actueel/verbod-op-gepersonaliseerde-reclame-facebook-en-instagram

[Mark Kaine]

4 hours ago, darknessblade said:

They are already under investigation by members of the European data protection board:

 

https://edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2023/edpb-urgent-binding-decision-processing-personal-data-behavioural-advertising-meta_en

https://www.autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl/actueel/verbod-op-gepersonaliseerde-reclame-facebook-en-instagram

ofc they are, its directly against like a gazillion laws lol...

 

i get why fb is doing it though, this DMA act(tm) directly threatens their whole reason for existing,  which is a good thing ofc, but they do have to try fighting it... as they're obviously completely unable to change their unethical and anti-consumer practices  

[rrats]

On 11/8/2023 at 3:09 PM, PDifolco said:

It's  basicallty extorsion/blackmail : "we'll sell your data unless you pay us"

as much as i hate facebook and zucc, i am glad this exists. finally you get the option of choosing to either pay the product or be the product. that is, if they actually stop spying on you after you buy the subscription. anyway i don't really care since i don't use any of their products

[rrats]

On 11/14/2023 at 10:29 PM, Arika said:

Firstly; waaaaaay to expensive.

Second; their wording is highly suspect

 

"Your information will not be used for advertising purposes"

 

Doesn't read to me like they are going to stop collecting everything about you....

 

So it's a very expensive adblock for one website/app. You're not paying for privacy.

forget what i just said in the post above, of course, i had nothing more to expect from facebooks side.

[divito]

On 11/14/2023 at 4:29 PM, Arika said:

Firstly; waaaaaay to expensive.

Second; their wording is highly suspect

 

"Your information will not be used for advertising purposes"

 

Doesn't read to me like they are going to stop collecting everything about you....

 

So it's a very expensive adblock for one website/app. You're not paying for privacy.

This is a bit disingenuous. Any service provider will keep metrics for features, users, etc...; developers would be supremely dumb not to. I'm not sure people grasp what an actually privacy-focused service would actually look like, and the kinds of things people take for granted.

With zero "tracking" or analyzing usage information specific to users, regions, etc.., most services would have no clue how to better serve those users, or you "individually," without relying on surveys (which most people hate), or keeping tabs on extremely basic metrics.

Granularity is the reason services can adapt and flourish the way they do and provide value to those users. A side effect of that granularity is that while it helps their service and subsequently their users, it also is valuable to advertisers. They can either charge for their service, or use that data to help sustain their business. 

In Meta's case, they will still likely collect those finer details, but simply not pass that information to a third party, or more accurately, keep you out of the buckets that advertisers select when they want to run ads. More similar to Apple holding your stuff close to the vest.