Meta considering subscription option for UK Facebook users
Meta is considering a subscription option for UK Facebook users after it agreed to stop targeting a campaigner with adverts based on her personal data.
The technology company said the social network it owns and Instagram were 'free for British consumers because of personalised advertising'.
It comes after Meta agreed to stop targeting adverts at human rights campaigner Tanya O'Carroll after she filed a lawsuit against Facebook's collection of personal details.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said on Saturday that its position was that Meta was 'processing Ms O'Carroll's personal data for direct marketing purposes'.
It added that profiling related to those purposes meant Ms O'Carroll had the 'absolute right to object to such processing' under UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The ICO said 'organisations must respect people's choices about how their data is used', adding that it would 'continue to engage with Meta on this issue'.
Ms O'Carroll wrote on LinkedIn: 'In settling my case, Meta has agreed to stop processing my personal data for direct marketing purposes. In non-legalese, that means I will no longer be shown surveillance-ads on Facebook.
'I believe this is a victory not just for me but for every UK and EU citizen as it paves the way for the right to object to be used to stand up to surveillance-advertising across the web.
'I applaud the ICO for their rational and principled application of the law in their intervention in my case and for publicly confirming they will back up other UK citizens who wish to exercise their right to object in the context of online targeted ads.'
Meta said it was 'pleased to draw a line under this long-running case'.
A spokesperson said: 'We fundamentally disagree with the claims made by Ms O'Carroll, no business can be mandated to give away its services for free.
'We take our UK GDPR obligations seriously and provide robust settings and tools for users to control their data and advertising preferences.
'Facebook and Instagram cost a significant amount of money to build and maintain, and these services are free for British consumers because of personalised advertising.
'Like many internet services, we are exploring the option of offering people based in the UK a subscription and will share further information in due course.'
Meta already offers an advert-free subscription option to users in the EU.
An ICO spokesperson said: 'People have the right to object to their personal information being used for direct marketing, and we have been clear that online targeted advertising should be considered as direct marketing.
'Organisations must respect people's choices about how their data is used. This means giving users a clear way to opt out of their data being used in this way.
'If people believe that an organisation is not complying with their request to stop processing their data, they can file a complaint to us. We will continue to engage with Meta on this issue.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
PriceSpider Doubles Down on Innovation with New Product Features and Integrations to Help Brands Convert Smarter and Grow Faster
The leader in shoppable media helps brands navigate an increasingly complex and AI-driven landscape with more in-depth retail intelligence, plus more new tools rolling out to help boost sales and drive higher conversions IRVINE, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PriceSpider, the global leader in shoppable media solutions for omnichannel brands, today announced a powerful slate of new innovations across its Shoppable and Price Monitoring product suites that underscore its commitment to AI and data-driven commerce. The latest enhancements equip brands with deeper insights and more control over the path to purchase. Building on strong momentum in Q1, the company is executing on an ambitious product roadmap to help brands navigate complex omnichannel landscapes, maximize retail media performance and drive higher conversion. 'Brands face increasing pressure to perform in a landscape growing more complex daily between tariffs and the rising impact of AI on every part of the commerce ecosystem,' said Anthony Ferry, CEO and co-founder of PriceSpider. 'Brands need more than performance marketing. They need actionable insights, automation at scale and innovative tools that put them ahead of the curve. And that's what we're building.' From new shoppable integrations to real-time analytics and predictive intelligence, PriceSpider's product momentum is shaping a future where brands can act faster, adapt smarter and optimize across every touchpoint. PriceSpider's recent product highlights include: DoorDash Integration – Unlocks access to over 500,000 stores through DoorDash for frictionless, last-mile delivery. Meta Integration – Enables brands to engage shoppers with dynamic product ads with real-time availability in Meta's Advantage+ ecosystem. Custom Commerce API – Steps up personalization by giving brands full control over shoppable experiences. Salsify Partnership – Expands longtime collaboration to simplify high-quality content delivery for shoppable activations. Looking ahead, PriceSpider is focused on deepening its analytics and scaling its global retail intelligence capabilities. Current PriceSpider innovations underway, with more exciting announcements slated for Q3: Traffic Benchmarking Report – Real-time industry comparisons to guide performance optimization. Basket Analytics – Real-time visibility into shopper behavior post-click, including when a specific brand does not make it into the final purchase, to offer insights beyond traditional cart abandonment. Stock Intelligence Module – More visibility into stockout trends and retailer availability to optimize retail media spend. Price Intelligence Expansion – Enhanced global pricing trends, competitor behavior and promotion dynamics to increase competitive wins. Third-Party Marketplace Reporting – Enhanced management of channel integrity and unauthorized seller risk on platforms like Amazon and Walmart. PriceSpider has redefined the shoppable category in giving brands control over the critical moments of the shopper journey across the offsite and onsite experience with a platform-agnostic solution that spans across any channel, any digital touchpoint and any path to purchase. The company is doubling down on what matters most: delivering intelligence, integration and efficiency to boost sales and drive higher conversions. For more information about PriceSpider, please visit About PriceSpider: PriceSpider is the global leader in Shoppable Media Solutions for omnichannel brands. Our advanced platform integrates full-funnel shopper insights, conversion analytics, and retailer data — empowering brands to optimize the path to purchase, enhance media performance, and maximize sales across all channels. Backed by the largest global network of retailer and media partnerships, PriceSpider combines powerful analytics with seamless commerce experiences to help brands drive profitable conversions at scale while enabling shoppers to effortlessly discover, research, and purchase the products they love. Visit to learn more. Media Contact For PriceSpider:SamsonPRpricespider@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Five key things Rachel Reeves announced in the Spending Review
Rachel Reeves has unveiled how the government will spend taxpayers' money between now and the next general election. The Chancellor has revealed her Spending Review which sets out how much money each government department will get over a three-year period. Ms Reeves also gave some details of how an extra £113bn of funding will be spent on big infrastructure projects. The NHS, housing and defence were the big winners with huge funding hikes for each, while transport budgets will also get a boost. READ MORE: M60 traffic: Queues on THREE motorways after vehicle overturns READ MORE: Race Across the World star Sam Gardiner's cause of death heard after devastating crash Police forces will also get more 'spending power', the Chancellor confirmed after fears budget cuts could mean fewer officers. Ms Reeves also committed to closing hotels that are currently housing asylum seekers by the end of the Parliament. Here are the key things the Chancellor has announced in the Spending Review. Ms Reeves had already announced more than £15bn for local transport projects - including £2.5bn for Greater Manchester - last week. The money which will go towards Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham's Bee Network will pay for 1,000 electric buses, new tram stops in north Manchester, Bury and Oldham, new tram-trains in Rochdale and the long-awaited Metrolink extension to Stockport. Unveiling the rest of her Spending Review today (June 11), Ms Reeves also revealed funding for two major rail projects in the North. The Chancellor announced £3.5bn for the Transpennine Route Upgrade which is already electrifying existing rail lines between York, Leeds and Manchester. Ms Reeves also gave a nod to the Manchester-Liverpool railway line following reports that money has been set aside for the scheme. But rather than referring to it directly, she promised to set out plans to 'take forward' Northern Powerhouse Rail - a new high-speed line across the North first announced more than a decade ago by the then-Tory Chancellor George Osborne - in the coming weeks. The NHS will get a 'record' cash investment with a 3 per cent increase every year, amounting to an extra £29bn per year in total. Ms Reeves said the government was spending £10bn digitising services as part of the government's 10-year plan for the health service. She said: "To support that plan, to back the doctors and nurses we rely on, and to make sure the NHS is there whenever we need it, I am proud to announce today that this Labour Government is making a record cash investment in our NHS, increasing real-terms, day-to-day spending by 3% per year for every year of this spending review. "An extra £29 billion per year for the day-to-day running of the health service. "That is what the British people voted for and that is what we will deliver. More appointments. More doctors. More scanners. "The National Health Service, created by a Labour government, protected, by a Labour government, and renewed, by this Labour Government." Police 'spending power' is set to rise by an average of 2.3 per cent per year in real-terms. It follows fraught negotiations over funding. Greater Manchester Police's chief constable Stephen Watson was among those who called for a boost to police budgets nationally. Ms Reeves said the extra cash for police forces will allow Labour to fulfil its manifesto pledge of introducing 13,000 extra officers. The Chancellor also announced £7bn to fund 14,000 new prison places and up to £700m per year into reform of the Probation system. In her speech, Ms Reeves confirmed £39bn of funding for affordable and social homes which the Treasury first announced last night. The Chancellor told MPs this funding increase represents the 'biggest cash injection into social and affordable housing in 50 years'. She said that this funding would directly support housebuilding - made easier by recent planning reforms - especially for social rent. Ms Reeves confirmed that defence spending would rise to 2.6 per cent of GDP by April 2027 which will amount to an £11bn uplift. There will also be a £600m increase for security and intelligence agencies which is accounted for in the defence spending boost. The Chancellor said there would also be up to £280m more per year by end of spending review for a new border security command. Alongside this, she promised that the government would tackle the asylum backlog and vowed to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this Parliament, saying that the move would save £1bn a year.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Government pledges £50m for Casement Park rebuild
The UK Government has allocated £50 million to support the redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast. The money was included in the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves' spending review, which outlines the Government's spending plans over the coming years. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill said it is now time to get the GAA stadium built. Plans for a 34,000-capacity stadium have been mired in uncertainty because of a major funding gap of around £150 million. The Government announcement includes £50 million to support the stadium being developed over four years. Ms O'Neill said: 'Casement Park is an Executive flagship project and is more than just a sporting venue — it will serve as an economic driver for the surrounding communities and region, creating jobs and attracting investment. 'Today's commitment of substantial funding from the British Government marks an enormous step forward. It is time for all of us to pull together to now get Casement built.'
