TikTok goes paid: ad-free plan announced, starting in the United Kingdom

The well-known Chinese social network has officially announced the launch of TikTok Ad-Free in the United Kingdom, a new subscription service that offers the possibility to decide how to engage with the platform, also affecting the management of personal data. The new plan centers on user control, allowing you to browse content without advertising interruptions and more.

TikTok becomes paid in the new ad-free plan: price and what’s included

The new TikTok Ad-Free plan, offered at a cost of £3.99 per month, will be gradually rolled out in the United Kingdom for all accounts belonging to adult users. By subscribing, users will not only remove advertising from their feed, but will also have the guarantee that their personal data will not be used for undefined advertising purposes.

The initiative fits into the so-called pay or consent model, a solution that many tech companies are adopting to respond to the UK’s stringent GDPR regulations and other privacy laws that prohibit the collection of sensitive data for advertising targeting without explicit consent.

TikTok therefore offers a clear alternative: those who prefer not to pay can continue to use the platform for free, but accept receiving personalized ads based on their browsing data.

Despite introducing this paid option, TikTok has confirmed that the main experience will remain unchanged for both subscribed and free-version users. Both will continue to have access to the same tools, creators and all content available in the app.

So this is a very different form of subscription compared to what was recently seen with WhatsApp Plus, which offers extra features for a monthly fee.

The move by TikTok aligns with that of Facebook and Instagram: Meta’s social networks have aligned with the European Digital Markets Act, introducing a paid plan that removes ads. A choice that has been perceived by some users, experts and activists as a real privacy tax.

The starting point is the United Kingdom: will it arrive in Italy as well?

As we write, TikTok’s new paid plan has been announced only in the United Kingdom and there is still no talk of extending it to other countries, including Italy.

However, a look at what happened with Meta’s services suggests that TikTok may very likely extend the subscription service (remember, totally optional) to other markets as well.