Instagram to start subscription service in Europe for users who don't want to see ads, more changes announced

In response to the upcoming Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations, Meta will introduce new data-sharing options for users in the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland.  A few days ago, Google announced the same.

What’s the European Economic Area?

The European Economic Area (EEA) is an agreement that unites the European Union (EU) member states with three of the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. This means these non-EU countries effectively participate in the EU’s single market.

These options, available starting March 2024, basically aim to provide users with greater control over how their information is used across Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Here are the changes announced by Meta:

• Users can choose to maintain a linked account with shared information or manage them separately, which offers greater control over data flow between the platforms.
• Users can opt for a new, independent Messenger account without linking it to their Facebook profiles, separating messaging and social media activity.
• Users can share their Facebook information for a personalized Marketplace experience with targeted recommendations and ads or browse and shop anonymously with limited features.
•  Users can use their Facebook information for a full gaming experience with multiplayer features, in-game purchases, personalized suggestions, or opt for single-player games without sharing Facebook data.
• Existing in November 2023, users can choose to subscribe and stop seeing ads on Facebook and Instagram, with their information no longer used for ad targeting.

These changes only apply to users in the mentioned regions. Existing privacy tools are still available for all users to manage their data on Meta platforms.

More here.