The EU's relationship with US big tech sometimes looks like a game of whack-a-mole. To protect the personal data of millions of European using  Facebook, Instagram and the like, authorities have implemented rules that restrict the networks' ability to use personal data to offer users targeted advertising without first asking for their consent. And yet, personalized advertising is Meta's core business.

Distraught by the potential loss of revenue, the group has announced that it will charge users a monthly subscription to access its platforms, without advertising. And it's not cheap: it's offering $14 a month for access via mobile, and around $17 for joint use of Facebook and Instagram on a desktop computer ($10 per subscription and a surcharge for each additional account). Don't want to pay? No problem: by default, you give Meta the right to use all your data to target you more precisely.

The group is hoping to circumvent European regulations and to secure recurring revenues. But this strategic U-turn is not insignificant: Facebook and Instagram have been free since their creation, which has encouraged their massive adoption. What will happen when users feel forced to pay or give up sovereignty over their browsing information? We'll have the answer in a few months' time. In the meantime, regulators have yet to react to the giant's proposal.

 

Drawing by Amandine Victor