Meta’s plan to launch a single subscription service has received two wildly different verdicts in Europe, starkly illustrating the growing clash between UK and EU approaches to tech regulation. While Britain has given the green light, the European Union has branded the very same model as illegal.
In the UK, the proposal to charge users up to £3.99 a month for an ad-free Facebook and Instagram has been welcomed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The UK regulator sees it as a legitimate way to provide user choice and comply with domestic data protection laws.
In the EU, the verdict could not be more different. The European Commission ruled that the subscription violates the Digital Markets Act, imposing a massive €200m fine on Meta. The EU’s judgment is that this model creates a “pay-for-privacy” system that unfairly penalises users who cannot or will not pay.
This clash stems from fundamentally different legal and political philosophies. The UK’s “pro-business” stance, as described by legal experts, prioritises flexible, market-oriented solutions that support the digital economy. It allows for a commercial fix to a regulatory problem.
The EU, in contrast, is pursuing a rights-based agenda where privacy is a non-negotiable, fundamental right that cannot be sold. This clash over Meta’s subscription fee is a clear signal that tech companies must now navigate two increasingly separate and contradictory regulatory regimes in Europe.