When Will EU Users Get Access to Meta’s Threads App?
EU users are eagerly awaiting access to Meta’s new Threads app, but it may take some time before they can join in on the fun. The reason for the delay lies in the expanding requirements of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to protect user privacy, regulate data usage, and prevent monopolistic behavior by tech giants like Google and Apple. However, Meta, the parent company of Threads, is also subject to these regulations due to its own ambitions.
The DMA specifically targets gatekeeper platforms, which are large corporations that have excessive control over user access to apps and other connectivity processes. While the act primarily focuses on Google and Apple, it also applies to Meta since Threads is essentially a derivative of Instagram. As a result, Meta will have to navigate the new regulations and undergo further investigation by EU authorities to ensure compliance.
The EU has implemented a range of new rules and privacy protections to empower users with more control over their data and to foster fairness and competition in digital markets. The DMA is just one facet of these evolving processes, with transatlantic data transfers also under negotiation between US and EU regulators.
Fortunately, progress has been made in this area, as US President Joe Biden recently secured a new data transfer agreement. This is crucial because Meta had warned that it would have to cut off EU users from all its apps without a suitable agreement. Nonetheless, Threads remains in a state of limbo until EU regulators evaluate the platform’s compliance with the new rules and its connection to Instagram.
Unfortunately, there is no definitive timeline for when EU users can expect access to Threads. The app has rapidly gained 100 million members, and many EU users are eager to join in and experience its Twitter-like features. Once it is finally cleared for EU access, we can anticipate another surge in Threads users, potentially leading to a secondary growth boom for the app.
In conclusion, while EU users eagerly await access to Meta’s Threads app, they will have to exercise patience. The app is currently undergoing scrutiny from EU regulators to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Until we receive insight into how regulators view the process and the app’s development, we cannot determine exactly when EU users will gain access to Threads.
