Threads, Meta’s Competitor to Elon Musk’s X, Launches in EU

Five months after its initial release in other regions, Meta’s social media app Threads has made its debut in the European Union. The app was first introduced as a competitor to Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter.

Due to strict EU regulations surrounding data and big tech, Threads was not initially available in the region. Meta hopes the EU launch will boost interest in the platform, which gained over 100 million users in its first week but later saw a decline in numbers.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the announcement on Threads, welcoming new European users. A spokesperson for Meta stated that the platform has seen “significant improvements” since its July introduction elsewhere.

The initial decrease in user interest was attributed to a lack of key features like a website and search function. The spokesperson said, “Starting today, people in the EU can choose to create a Threads profile that is connected to their Instagram account – which means they get the same experience as everyone else around the world – or use Threads without a profile.”

Shortly after Threads’ launch, Zuckerberg revealed it had lost half of its users within three weeks. The addition of new features helped recover most of those users. However, Threads is still less popular than X and has fewer users than TikTok or other Meta services like Instagram and Facebook.

The official reason behind Meta’s delay of Threads’ EU launch remains undisclosed but is believed to be due to the region’s strict regulations. In July, a Meta spokesperson cited “upcoming regulatory uncertainty” as the reason while speaking to The Verge.

The EU’s Digital Services Act came into effect in August, imposing new obligations on major tech companies. The act aims to safeguard users on large social platforms and encompasses rules such as restrictions on advertising to minors and requirements for greater transparency regarding algorithms.

Threads requests access to extensive data on users’ devices, including location data, purchases, and browsing history. It is unclear whether the app underwent major changes to comply with EU legislation.

In October, Meta revealed plans to introduce subscription services in most European countries that would remove ads from all its platforms. The company claimed this move would address EU concerns. The exclusively European subscription model covers the European Economic Area and Switzerland, but is not available in the UK.