Meta will offer EU users option of less personalized ads, caving to EU pressure
Meta will begin offering European users the option to access versions of Facebook and Instagram with less personalized advertising starting in January 2026, the European Commission said in a statement on Monday, after tweaking its pay-or-consent model to appease regulators.
The move raises questions about how effective Meta’s ads will be if users opt for reduced tracking.
The decision comes after Meta was fined earlier this year for its original pay-or-consent model, after it was ruled illegal by the commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). That model forced users in Europe to either pay to remove ads on Meta’s services or consent to full tracking for targeted advertising.
European regulators found that the model “did not give users the … choice to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the ‘personalized ads’ service.”
Meta’s third option for European users — introduced in November 2024 after initial pushback from EU regulators — presented a less personalized ad-supported option based on contextual signals rather than full tracking.
However, regulators have objected to the way this choice was presented to users. The latest tweak appears to have gone some way to addressing the commission’s concerns, which said the revised option now gave users an “effective choice.”
While Meta’s latest revision appears to satisfy EU regulators for now, a commission spokesperson said the case was not closed as they will now monitor the implementation of user uptake.
A Meta spokesperson “acknowledged” the commission’s statement but reiterated that “personalized ads are vital for Europe’s economy.”
Meta’s stance for countries in the EU differs from the one it’s taking in the U.K. The social media giant said in September it would offer British users the option to pay for ad-free subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram or to consent to full tracking and targeted ads.
Timeline: Meta and the EU
November 2023: Meta launches its original “pay-or-consent” model across the EU, charging users up to €12.99 a month for an ad-free version of Facebook and Instagram. Alternatively, users could give their consent to tracking for advertising purposes.
June 2024: The commission issues its preliminary findings that the model violates the DMA, saying that “this binary choice … fails to provide [users] a less personalised but equivalent version of Meta’s social networks.”
November 2024: In response to the June missive, Meta unveils a revised model, introducing a less personalized ad-supported option based on contextual signals and lowers the price of its existing ad-free option.
April 2025: Meta fined €200 million; regulators continue reviewing the revised model.
December 2025: The commission calls Meta’s revised less personalized option “a very good step forward.” The company will start offering it to European users in January 2026. Regulators will continue monitoring “the impact and uptake of this new ad model.”