Social Media Today says, with Apple currently rolling out its controversial new data tracking prompts as part of iOS 14.5, Facebook has added a new element to its own iOS 14.5 prompts, which now employ a form of scare tactic to encourage users not to switch off data tracking.



Facebook just added something extra to its in-app alerts, which encourage people to leave data tracking on so the company can: 'Help keep Facebook/Instagram free of charge.'

The implication seemingly being that we'll need to pay for the platforms if too many of us opt out. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly stated that the company's apps will remain free, via its ad supported model. Testifying to Congress in 2018, he said:

The fear tactic might work. This is what Facebook recently had to say about tracking permissions:

Nothing there about potentially charging for access as a result, which does seem to point to the fact this is an empty threat. Nobody knows as yet how many users will decide to opt out of tracking, but maybe this just goes to show that Facebook is nothing without its data - or rather, without your data?