Why Meta’s Threads app hasn’t launched in the European Union: Regulatory compliance and Privacy concerns

New Delhi: Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has unveiled its new app Threads, aiming to become a prominent competitor to the struggling Twitter platform under the leadership of Elon Musk.

However, while Threads has gained popularity in the US and the UK, users in the European Union (EU) have been left out of the excitement as Meta navigates the challenges of complying with the bloc’s regulatory standards.

The text-based conversation app, integrated with Instagram, made its debut on Wednesday, attracting over 10 million users within the first few hours of availability in the US and the UK. However, Meta has chosen not to offer Threads in EU countries, citing the need to ensure compliance with the EU’s stricter privacy rules and regulatory requirements.

Sources close to the company have indicated that Meta is hesitant to release the app in EU member states due to uncertainties surrounding the requirements outlined in the Digital Markets Act, the EU’s new competition rules governing the practices of dominant online platforms.

Discussions between the European Commission and companies like Meta are ongoing, with further guidance expected to be provided in September. However, even with additional clarity, it remains uncertain whether Threads will be able to meet the EU’s stringent privacy requirements. The app has faced criticism from tech journalists, who have labeled it a “privacy nightmare” due to its integration with Instagram and the extensive range of personal data it collects from users.

Threads users in the US are informed that the app collects various types of data, including health and financial information, browsing histories, location data, purchases, contacts, search history, and sensitive information. Additionally, advertising information is gathered from Instagram. Such data-sharing practices between social media platforms are prohibited in the EU, as Meta has previously faced restrictions on launching advertising services on WhatsApp that utilized data from Facebook or Instagram.

Meta’s history of regulatory challenges in the EU adds further uncertainty to the future of Threads in the region. In January, the company was fined over €377 million for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by conducting behavioral advertising on Facebook and Instagram without a valid legal basis.

As of now, it remains unclear whether Threads will be adapted to meet the EU’s regulatory requirements or if it will ever be launched in the European market. Meta will need to carefully navigate the EU’s privacy rules and regulatory landscape to ensure compliance before considering a release in the region.