Today, during Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before the Senate, the Facebook CEO reiterated that "there will always be a version of Facebook that is free."
In the midst of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which data of 87 million people were sold by a third-party developer to Cambridge Analytica, a Trump Campaign-related company, Facebook was potentially discussed. add a subscription layer.
The scandal has uncovered the heart of a problem that many have been aware of: if you do not buy a product, you are the product.
Last week, when asked if there was a way for users to not be targeted by advertisements, Sandberg responded that they should pay for it.
"We have different forms of opt-out," replied Sandberg. "We did not opt-out at the highest level, it would be a paid product."
Our own Josh Constine argued that ad-free subscriptions could save Facebook. And although there is no word on a subscription without advertising, Zuckerberg has at least left room in the future, noting that there will always be a version of Facebook which is free.
"How do you support a business model in which users do not pay for your service?" Asked Senator Orrin Hatch at Zuckerberg.
"Senator, we are broadcasting ads."