Meta is introducing a paid subscription option that will eliminate ads from Facebook and Instagram for users in Europe.
The service will be available from November and will be priced at €9.99 ($10.59) per month when accessed on the web or €12.99 a month for Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems.
“Regardless of where you purchase, the subscription will apply to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts in a user’s accounts centre,” Meta said in a statement.
The initial subscription will cover all linked accounts until March 1 next year. After that, an additional fee of €6 per month on the web and €8 per month on iOS and Android platforms will apply for each additional account listed in a user’s accounts centre.
The new subscription model aims to address concerns raised by EU states regarding Meta's data collection practices and advertising targeting.
“We believe in an ad-supported internet, which gives people access to personalised products and services regardless of their economic status … but we respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations and are committed to complying with them,” Meta said.
The EU regulations pose a potential threat to Meta's capacity to personalise ads for users without their explicit consent, thereby potentially damaging its primary source of revenue.
In the third quarter, the company's advertising sales contributed more than 98.5 per cent to overall sales, growing by about 23.5 per cent on an annual basis to more than $33.6 billion.
Over the past few months, the EU has been exerting anti-trust pressure on the world's leading social media network over its targeted advertising and data collection practices.
In July, Meta suffered a setback when it unsuccessfully challenged a German data restriction order, as the court supported the authority of the German anti-trust watchdog to investigate privacy breaches as well.
Earlier this year, Meta was fined €390 million ($414 million) by Ireland's Data Privacy Commissioner and was instructed not to rely on the "contract" as a legal foundation for delivering ads to users that are tailored to their online behaviour.
Subsequently, Meta said it was planning to seek user consent within the EU before enabling businesses to direct targeted advertisements, with the aim of complying with the changing regulatory demands in the region.
In August, the California-based company said it would move users to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation as the legal basis of consent for the purpose of processing data collected on its platforms for advertising purposes.
“We made that change to address a number of evolving and emerging regulatory requirements in the region,” Meta said.
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The Brutalist
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Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
