Facebook and Instagram are introducing 'unskippable ads'

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has announced that it will roll out unskippable ads that are less personalised but can be viewed for a few seconds in the EU.

Facebook and Instagram to Offer Subscription for No Ads in Europe | Meta

Meta has announced that it will soon cut the price of its ad-free subscriptions to Facebook and Instagram by 40% in the EU, from 9.99 euros (about 1640 yen) to 5.99 euros (about 980 yen) for the web version, and from 12.99 euros (about 2130 yen) to 7.99 euros (about 1310 yen) for iOS and Android versions.

And users who choose to continue using the app for free and not sign up for a subscription plan will see less personalized ads.

Meta introduced ad-free paid subscription plans and free personalized ads in 2023 to comply with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), but authorities are calling for further efforts.

The current reduction in personalization is a response to this, but it is inevitable that advertising performance will decrease as ads will become less relevant due to the significant reduction in personal data used.

Therefore, Meta said, 'To help advertisers connect with a wider audience in low data usage environments, we will also introduce ad breaks. This means that some ads shown in less personalized ad experiences will be unskippable for a few seconds,' revealing that it will introduce non-skippable ads.

Meta has been testing this ad break since around June 2024.

According to a Reddit user who saw this ad break on Instagram, when they tapped on the information icon next to the ad break button, a message was displayed saying, 'You're currently viewing an ad break. Ad breaks are a new type of ad on Instagram. You may need to watch an ad before continuing.'

'We find ourselves in a position where we have to provide people and businesses with a less valuable ad experience, but we will continue to deliver great, personalized experiences that work in the best interests of people and businesses in Europe,' Meta said.