Despite being hit with a crippling €200m fine and a legal rejection in the European Union, Meta is confidently moving forward with the rollout of its ad-free subscription service in the UK. This demonstrates how the UK’s separate legal and regulatory system now provides a safe haven for business models that are illegal just miles away on the continent.
The core of the issue is Meta’s plan to charge up to £3.99 a month for an ad-free experience. While the European Commission deemed this a breach of the Digital Markets Act, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken the opposite view, declaring it compliant with UK law.
The ICO’s approval is the key factor that has allowed Meta to shrug off the EU’s massive fine and proceed with its plans in Britain. The UK regulator’s endorsement provides the legal certainty Meta needs to invest in the launch, confident that it will not face similar penalties.
This situation highlights the profound impact of Brexit on the digital economy. The UK is no longer bound by the EU’s regulatory decisions or its overarching legal frameworks like the Digital Markets Act. This allows it to forge its own “pro-business” path.
For Meta, the UK has become a critical refuge. The country’s regulatory independence allows the company to salvage a key strategic initiative that was dead on arrival in the much larger EU market, proving that even a €200m fine can’t stop a rollout if a neighbouring jurisdiction offers a more favourable legal home.
