Consent or pay

If it feels like every platform you use is suddenly asking you to either accept tracking or pay up, you’re not imagining it. The UK has officially become a testing ground for one of the most significant shifts in online privacy and advertising we’ve seen in years.

Meta’s newly launched ‘consent or pay’ (also known as ‘pay or OK’) model marks one of the biggest changes to the UK’s digital advertising ecosystem in years and it’s already influencing news publications and platforms beyond social media.

However, this shift did not happen voluntarily. The European Commission previously ruled Meta’s data‑processing practices illegal under GDPR, finding the company had not been collecting informed consent for targeted advertising. This pushed Meta to redesign its model across Europe, and the UK.

Separately, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) pressured Meta to stop bundling personalised ad consent into basic terms and conditions, concluding this practice was not compliant with UK data protection law. The ICO later welcomed Meta’s new consent‑driven approach. 

Now, UK users over 18 are presented with a choice: use Facebook/Instagram for free with personalised ads (and allow data tracking for advertising) or pay for an ad‑free experience at £2.99/month on desktop or £3.99/month on iOS/Android.

Meta has confirmed that when users subscribe, their personal data is no longer used for targeted advertising, a core part of what regulators demanded. 

Although Meta’s adoption has made headlines recently, this trend isn’t isolated. UK news publishers were among the first to embrace ‘pay or OK’ models long before Meta’s rollout by prompting readers to either read for free and accept tracking for personalised ads; pay for a subscription; or stop reading. 

Publications and platforms across the UK are increasingly adopting the model as regulators tighten scrutiny of consent practices. The ICO is now monitoring how all companies implement consent‑or‑pay models, not just Meta. 

Why does this matter?

This new model forces a wider societal question: is privacy a fundamental right or a premium feature?

Supporters argue it finally introduces transparency and gives users meaningful choice. 

Critics say the model effectively puts a price tag on privacy and may disproportionately affect users less able to pay.

Regulators and advertisers are watching closely. Early indicators suggest most people will continue choosing the free, ad‑supported route as we’ve seen with YouTube, TikTok and other platforms where ad‑free tiers attract only a small minority. 

What’s clear is that Meta’s UK launch is only the beginning. With regulatory pressure rising globally, ‘consent or pay’ is quickly becoming the industry’s new normal whether users like it or not.