Technology giant Meta is reportedly considering setting a monthly fee for Facebook and Instagram users who do not give permission for targeted ads.
In the future, Facebook and Instagram users may have to pay to use the services if they do not allow targeted ads. The change would only affect users from EU countries. Jaap Arriens
Today, social media is full of advertisements that are more or less well targeted to a specific user.
Targeted ads often have something to do with the user’s hobbies, interests or, for example, recent search engine searches. Ads are also targeted based on the user’s age, gender, place of residence and numerous other information.
The targeted ads you encounter can also make you wonder if social media is spying on what you’re doing and eavesdropping on what you say. That’s how well the companies know you.
Although the vast majority of users of social media services do not pay money directly for the service, it does not mean that the parties behind the service do not make money from their users. The old folk wisdom says that if the service is free, then you are the product.
Users who allow ads to be targeted to themselves are valuable to social media platforms, because getting into the social media feeds of potential customers is very profitable for advertisers.
Would only apply to EU users
Meta, the background company of Facebook and Instagram, has neither directly admitted nor denied, among other things Intentions made public by CNN to start collecting a monthly fee from those users who do not agree to give permission for targeting ads.
– Meta believes in the value of free services supported by personalized advertisements. However, we continue to explore options to ensure that we comply with the changing legislation, the company’s representative commented roundly.
The monthly fee is said to be planned only for users in the European Union, as the EU’s strict data protection requirements are a threat to Meta’s cash flows. With a substantial monthly fee, Meta could possibly persuade users to allow targeted ads in the future. If not, a tidy sum would flow into the company’s account every month.
The Wall Street Journal according to the quoting CNN, Meta’s plans include a monthly fee of 14 dollars, or a good 13 euros, for Instagram users and a flat fee of 16 euros, if targeted ads are removed from both Instagram and Facebook.
However, it is important to note that the monthly fee would not get rid of the ads completely, but only the ads targeted to the user personally, based on the data collected about him. The user would still see ads, but they wouldn’t be tailored to him.
Block targeted ads
For the time being, targeted ads can be blocked on Instagram and Facebook via Meta’s account center without paying penalties.
The account center can be accessed from both Instagram and Facebook settings. Through the Advertising settings menu found under the account center, the user can “view the activity data of Meta’s advertising partners”, that is, in Finnish, turn targeted ads on or off. This is done by clicking on “Check setting”.
Source: CNN