November 9, 2023, 11:35 a.m. |
Reading time: 5 minutes
Creating an account, downloading the app, making contacts and accessing content – this was previously possible for free with the social media giants. But now users in the EU have to decide: Do they want to continue to use the services for free, but instead see a bunch of advertising (among other things)? Or would you rather take out a paid subscription? TECHBOOK looked at the features of the individual payment models and answered whether they are worth it.
Surfing without ads? That was once. From browser-based websites to apps – digital content is complemented by ads almost everywhere. Of course, this can spoil the fun of surfing a little. Users who are annoyed by spam are therefore able to take out subscriptions more and more often. This means that they have to pay for their access, but in return they see no or at least less advertising. Numerous editorial portals have introduced such payment models in recent years; For streaming providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, these are primarily supplementary subscription options that – in return for a higher fee – are intended to include fewer or no spots. Now social media services are following suit.
Also interesting: Netflix wants to make subscriptions more attractive with advertising
The background to the innovations is the change in data protection regulations in Europe for most social media services. This means that users must explicitly agree to make the information revealed through their social media activity available for personalized advertising.
Anyone who doesn’t want this should have the opportunity to “buy their way out” of it using the new subscription model. So it’s not just a matter of weighing up between advertising and no advertising, but also how high you prioritize the protection of your own data.
With Meta’s services – Facebook and Instagram – such a payment model for the apps would cost “from 12.99 euros” and would then work without advertising. For use via the browser it would still be around 9.99 euros.
Facebook and Instagram users are currently faced with a choice Photo: Screenshot TECHBOOK
However, the already hefty amounts should not remain the same. Whoever reads the fine print? Meta newsroom If you read it in more detail, you will find that the 9.99 euros and 12.99 euros mentioned cover all of a user’s linked accounts – for the time being. “However, from March 1, 2024, an additional fee of 6 euros per month in the browser and 8 euros for iOS and Android will be charged for each additional account in the user’s account center.” So the costs can add up quite a bit.
The different subscription models from X
The meta services are not the only ones that want to ask users to pay. Elon Musk, head of X (formerly Twitter), is already doing it. The “X Premium”, which was introduced months ago, costs around 9.50 euros per month and, on the one hand, provides subscribers with the blue check mark that is supposed to certify a verified account. In addition, it offers “early access to selected new features,” it says X Help Center. There are still advertisements, but only half as much as in the free version.
In October, Musk launched another subscription model that costs just 19 euros a month without any advertising. At the same time, the cheaper, but also functionally limited subscription was available for around 3.60 euros.
Also interesting: What can the Twitter alternative “Threads” do?
TikTok will also be chargeable
TikTok is also apparently planning to introduce an ad-free version. This is what the social media portal did, according to a report in the online magazine “Tech Crunch“now confirmed. Such a paid subscription should cost around 4.99 US dollars (around 4.68 euros) per month and is currently being tested. The first users are said to have already taken screenshots of banners that ask you to choose between the previous ad-financed version and a new, paid, but ad-free version.
Is it worth paying for Instagram, Facebook or Twitter?
The monthly prices charged by the social media giants are quite high. Whether it is worth paying them is – in addition to your own financial situation – primarily a question of your attitude towards privacy. Because it’s clear: the (albeit not insignificant) factor of advertising reduction is only one thing. The fact that subscribers’ personal information should no longer be used is another important argument. If the protection of your data is important, a corresponding payment model may make sense.
At the same time, the product in question should also be viewed critically. Social media can be used on the one hand for distraction and on the other hand as a useful information medium. However, the platforms also pose risks for democracy and community coexistence that should not be underestimated. And much more mundane: Most of us would probably admit that the use of social media is often purely routine. This is also why you have your smartphone in your hand quite often. And let’s be honest: Do you often feel really good after going through your Insta feed?
The majority of the TECHBOOK editorial team comes to the conclusion that paid subscriptions on Instagram, X, Facebook and Co. are not worth it. In addition to data protection, the big advantage is of course that the platforms can be experienced partially ad-free for the first time. But as already mentioned: In the end, everyone has their own priorities, the decision is individual.