Meta pushing new prompt to Facebook and Instagram users in EU, forcing them to pick between ads, subscription, or permanent goodbye

European users of Facebook and Instagram are starting to see a fresh pop-up that’s hard to ignore. The screen lays out three stark options. Keep using the services for free but agree to personalized ads that track your data. Or pay a monthly fee starting around 6 euros for an ad-free experience where your info isn’t used for targeting. The third choice? Download your data and walk away for good by deactivating or deleting your account.

This isn’t coming out of nowhere. Meta has been tweaking its model in Europe for a while now to deal with strict privacy rules. Back in late 2023, they first introduced paid subscriptions to go ad-free, aiming to satisfy regulators who say free services shouldn’t rely on invasive data collection. But things heated up again on July 1 when the European Commission called out Meta for potentially breaking the Digital Markets Act.

Meta fired back quickly. In a blog post on July 2, they defended their approach, saying it aligns with what the EU wants by offering clear options, including the ability to leave entirely. They pointed out that personalized ads help fund the platforms and support small businesses in Europe, pumping in billions annually. Without them, Meta warns, the quality of free services could suffer. Still, the company hinted at future tweaks, like a “less personalized ads” option that’s already live for users in Europe.

But not everyone is buying into Meta’s promises. Some users who have seen the prompt have taken to Reddit and X to voice their concerns. One poster shared their frustration, stating, “Thanks for making this very easy with the ‘leave our services’ link.” Others also shared similar opinions in comments, with one saying, “I just deleted the app — Messenger still works without the full account wipe.” 

Over on X, a user provided a detailed breakdown of the change along with the steps to manage your ads experience on Meta platforms. You can read the full post below:

If the EU pushes through, platforms might have to offer more ad-light versions everywhere, hitting revenues but boosting privacy. For now, though, EU users are stuck deciding if they want to pay, play along with ads, or say goodbye to scrolling through family updates and memes. Meta insists it’s about choice, but many feel like the options are stacked.

If you’re in the EU, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this, and what route are you considering to take? Let me know in the comments section below!