Technologies

Facebook and Instagram Are Now Offering No-Ad Paid Subscriptions in the UK

Ad-free subscriptions for UK residents are about half the cost of those for EU users.

Pay for Facebook and Instagram? That may seem unthinkable to those of us who use the free apps.

Parent company Meta announced Friday that users in the UK can choose to pay for a Facebook or Instagram subscription if they don’t want to see targeted ads. Going ad-free is still not an option for anyone in the US who is tired of seeing products in their social media feeds.

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office published guidance about ad-free subscriptions earlier this year and said on Friday that it welcomed the change.

«This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we’ve been clear is not in line with UK law,» the statement said. «Under Meta’s chosen approach, people will be able to choose between consenting to personalized ads or paying a monthly subscription for an ad-free service — known as a ‘consent or pay’ model.»

A representative for Meta referred CNET to the public announcement.

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A no-ad subscription for a user’s first Meta account, if only used on the web, will cost £3/month (roughly $4). It will cost £4/month ($5.35) for use on iOS and Android. Meta says in its statement that the iOS and Android subscriptions cost more because of fees charged by Apple and Google.

If someone has a second account they’d like to go ad-free, the fee for that account is slightly reduced to £2/month ($2.68) on the web, or £3/month ($4.02) on iOS and Android.

Read more: Meta’s Bosworth Hints That Neural Band Could Eventually Evolve Into a Watch

The Information Commissioner’s Office said it will monitor Meta’s rollout of its changes «to ensure consumers are empowered to make choices and are able to give their consent freely.»

Meta sites don’t display the same advertisements in every user’s feed. The company uses data from individuals to serve personalized ads, claiming it helps people discover relevant products and services and helps businesses reach the most likely customers for what they’re offering.

UK companies will still be able to show personalize ads to those who don’t want to pay for the ad-free version.

Users of Facebook and Instagram in the EU — which has had the option to subscribe and avoid ads since 2023 — are charged more than twice the UK cost if they want the ad-free service. The BBC reports that EU subscriber fees begin at 6 euros (equivalent to £5.23 or $7).

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.