Meta: Meta may launch paid versions of Facebook, Instagram in these countries, here’s why

It hasn’t been an easy ride for Meta and its platforms Instagram and Facebook in the European Union. Meta is a major player in the tech industry, and its regulatory troubles in the EU could have a significant impact on the company’s business. The company is likely to continue to face challenges from regulators in the years to come, and perhaps it has found a way to comply with the law while also protecting its users’ privacy. According to a report by The New York Times, Meta is considering the idea of launching a paid version of Instagram and Facebook in Europe. The idea behind the move is to ensure no ads have are shown to the users in Europe. As of now, the report suggests that there is no word on the pricing or when Meta is expected to launch paid version of Facebook and Instagram.

Meta’s troubled tryst with Europe

In December 2022, the European Commission (EC) opened an antitrust investigation into Meta’s practices related to its online classified ads business. The EC’s investigation was to check whether Meta has abused its market power by tying its Facebook Marketplace service to its social network Facebook.
Meta also threatened to leave the EU altogether if it was no longer able to transfer data about European users to the United States. This is because the EU-US Privacy Shield, an agreement that allowed for the transfer of data between the two regions, was invalidated by the European Court of Justice in July 2020.
In March 2022, the European Union Parliament passed the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is a set of rules that aim to regulate large tech companies like Meta. The DMA requires gatekeepers, which are companies that have a significant impact on the internal market, to comply with a number of obligations. It is a big reason why Meta’s latest app — Threads — hasn’t been launched in Europe as of now. Meta is concerned that the DMA will make it difficult to launch Threads in Europe, as the app would need to comply with a number of new rules.