Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, will launch Threads in Europe this December. Threads, available in most markets since July, has faced delays in Europe due to concerns over compliance with EU regulations. Notably, many see it as a formidable competitor to Elon Musk’s Twitter / X.
Threads is coming to Europe, but there’ll be conditions involved
According to a report by WSJ (via Macrumors) citing people in the know, Threads will be available in Europe in December. However, Meta will face challenges in ensuring that it complies with EU data privacy rules. One of the key concerns is the requirement for users to have a choice to use Threads without creating a separate profile. This means that users should be able to access Threads content without having to link it to their Facebook or Instagram accounts.
Meta is reportedly working on a technical solution to address this requirement, but it is unclear whether the company will be able to comply with EU regulations by December. If Meta fails to meet the regulatory requirements, it could face fines or even be forced to delay the launch of Threads in Europe. Notably, Threads became the app with the fastest 100 million sign-ups in merely 5 days.
There are several challenges involved in the process
Although, Meta is all-moody to launch Threads in Europe. But there could be hurdles in the way. It sees Europe as a key market for the app. Meta believes that it will be a popular way for Europeans to stay connected with each other. Meta has recently complied with EU privacy laws and pushed an ad-free tier for Facebook and Instagram in Europe. However, that also seems to face a setback.
TechCrunch points out that the app’s iOS privacy labels suggest extensive data collection. Large platforms, such as Meta’s social media platforms, must obtain user consent before collecting data for personalized ads. This is due to the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA).
2023-12-01 15:07:16