March 25, 2025
News seems to follow Meta wherever it goes – mostly for worse. So, when it was revealed this week that Meta is considering a paid-for experience for its UK users to remove ads – we thought we’d give it a once over.
Off the back of Meta agreeing to stop targeting ads at British women, the social platform’s advertising element is under the microscope again, as a spokesperson for the company said they were considering following the EU in offering the UK an ad-free subscription for use of Facebook and Instagram. This is circa £5 a month.
Meanwhile, the UK is grilling Meta over data protection concerns before this even gets close to the finish line. In Europe, the take up has been limited. Cynics would suggest this is Meta trying to lockdown its data – as the future of data collection looks to be getting murkier.
Sounds like a good idea, right?
The idea of ads being removed from any digital platform is usually music to anyone’s ears. Whether it’s Netflix, YouTube or Spotify – millions are spending small monthly amounts to remove the incessant ads that constantly interrupt the viewing experience.
But buying products and services via social media ads has become one of the most popular forms of transaction. 86% of consumers now engage with ads on social media networks, and digital formats alone account for 79.7% of total UK ad spend (Smithfield Agency, 2024).
Algorithms get smarter all the time – the whole point of tailored ads is because advertising is a dirty word to some – most people hate it, but that can often be because of an ad that has no relevance to you interrupting your TV viewing pleasure – or cutting off a juicy part of a true crime podcast. Scrolling through social media however, that’s a different experience.
We never stop running into people in our lives who bought a product based on an Instagram ad. Small businesses have flourished as they lean on the lower cost per click and expansive audience reach that Meta offers. These platforms know what you engage with and know what you like!
Ad-free experience may dull your scroll
Algorithms are clever, make no mistake – but ads serve a purpose as well. They are part of the wider social element, folding into the overall interactions you make and enabling you to stumble on a brand that aligns with your values, so you can buy those shoes that are non-leather but still look classy. Or, you find a cheap holiday let in a place you thought you never could afford…
You see where we’re going with this, but in our view the ad experience on social adds to the experience. As users of social we can scroll on…we don’t have to wait for ‘skip ad’ to appear or disappear to stick the kettle on to ensure those ads are done by the time we’re back on the sofa.
I suppose the first thing to ask yourself is, have you bought via an ad on Meta before? Odds are, you have – and you’ll want to do it again.
We’ve more insights on Meta and lots of other social channels too! Find them here.