"Meta Proposes 50% Reduction in Facebook and Instagram Fees for European Users"

Meta Platforms has offered to reduce the monthly subscription fee for Facebook and Instagram from 9.99 euros to 5.99 euros in response to concerns from privacy and antitrust regulators. The move aims to address criticism of its no-ads subscription service in Europe, which requires users to pay a fee to ensure their privacy. The company launched the service to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which limits its ability to personalize advertisements without user consent. Privacy activists argue that the issue is not about the fee amount, but rather the "pay or okay" approach, which they believe does not align with GDPR requirements for freely given consent. Meta is in talks with data protection authorities and faces potential fines for DMA breaches.