Social media platform TikTok is set to trial a monthly subscription fee which would allow users to browse the app without seeing ads. The fee is being tested at $USD 4.99 (£4.13).
According to the BBC, the Chinese-based outfit will be rolling out the trial in an English-speaking market outside of the US, currently all users over the age of 18 experience personalised ads.
Whilst TikTok does not release its financial results publicly, its parent company ByteDance last year earned a reported £70 billion, whilst Insider Intelligence estimates that the platform itself made around £8 billion in advertising revenue alone in 2022.
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The news comes as rival social media firm Meta announced last month that it was also considering the introduction of a subscription fee for EU users who wish to use Facebook and Instagram ad-free.
Due to the UK’s separate rules governing advertising and data protection, there are currently no plans to implement the offering on the British market. Free accounts will still be available across both platforms.
In a statement given to the BBC, a Meta spokesperson said: “Meta believes in the value of free services which are supported by personalised ads. However, we continue to explore options to ensure we comply with evolving regulatory requirements. We have nothing further to share at this time.”
