Meta Platforms is considering ad-free paid versions of Facebook and Instagram for users residing in the European Union (EU), in response to scrutiny from regulators, The New York Times reports. news on Friday.

Those who pay for the subscription will see no ads while Meta will also continue to offer ad-free versions of the app in the EU, the report said, citing three people familiar with the matter. these plans.

The report adds that this potential move could help Meta fend off privacy concerns and other EU surveillance, as it would provide users with an alternative to services that rely on the EU. on corporate advertising that relies on analysis of people’s data.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The social media giant has come under the radar of EU antitrust regulators and lost a battle in July over a 2019 German order banning it from collecting user data without prior consent. Agree.

The New York Times report says it’s still unclear exactly how much the paid version of the app will cost. The social media giant has come into the spotlight of EU antitrust regulators and has been fined NOK 1 million (approximately Rs 77,51,000) a day since August 14 for violating user privacy by collecting user data and using that data to target ads to them. . The company is seeking a temporary injunction against the Norwegian Data Protection Authority’s order to impose daily fines for the next three months. Regulator Datatilsynet said on July 17 that the company would be fined if it failed to address the privacy violations identified by the regulator.