How a Single Lawsuit Paved the Way for Ad-Free Instagram in the UK

The arrival of an ad-free version of Instagram and Facebook in the UK can be traced back to a single, pivotal lawsuit filed by a British citizen. This legal action forced Meta to reckon with UK data protection laws, ultimately paving the way for the subscription service that is now being rolled out.
The lawsuit was initiated by human rights campaigner Tanya O’Carroll, who demanded that Meta respect her legal right to object to her data being collected for personalised ads. Her case argued that under UK law, this was a right users were entitled to. Meta eventually settled, effectively conceding the point and setting a precedent.
Faced with the prospect of having to honour this right for millions of users, Meta needed a workable solution. The company developed the ad-free subscription model as its answer. For a monthly fee of up to £3.99, users can now formally exercise the right O’Carroll championed, opting out of the ad-targeting system entirely.
This entire chain of events was watched closely by the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO has now given its public approval to Meta’s subscription plan, confirming that it considers this a valid method for complying with the legal obligations highlighted by the lawsuit.
This story shows the power of individual legal action in shaping the policies of tech giants. While the EU has taken a different regulatory path, fining Meta and rejecting the model, the ad-free choice now available to UK users is a direct legacy of one person’s fight for their data rights in a British court.