Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 11
TikTok Launches £3.99 UK Ad-Free Plan for Adults as Free Users Lose Opt-Out
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 11

TikTok Launches £3.99 UK Ad-Free Plan for Adults as Free Users Lose Opt-Out

13 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 11
  • TikTok will start notifying UK users aged 18 and over from Monday that they can pay £3.99 a month to remove platform-delivered ads, with the rollout unfolding over the next few months.
  • Under the change, users who keep the free service will still see personalised ads and will no longer be able to opt out of them, though they can adjust ad personalisation settings.
  • The paid tier removes TikTok-served ads in areas such as the For You feed, but sponsored posts from creators — often tagged #ad — will still appear.
  • TikTok said the option gives users more control, while analysts said it reflects a broader "consent or pay" model that helps platforms meet UK data rules and monetize users who reject tracking.
  • The move follows TikTok's 2023 tests in some markets and mirrors similar paid no-ads or fewer-ads offerings from Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.
How can TikTok’s mandatory ad-tracking for free users survive when it appears to violate EU law?
Is online privacy no longer a right but a luxury subscription, creating a two-tiered internet for the rich and the tracked?