Meta, the parent company of Facebook among others, plans to launch Threads, its answer to the social network Twitter, in Europe throughout this month of December. Although Threads was introduced globally in July, the European Union has become the latest major territory to receive this “microblogging” platform.
The wait has been due to regulations imposed by the new EU Digital Markets Law, which requires significant privacy concessions to adapt to local regulations.
Compared to other continents, where Threads has gained more than 100 million users in its first five days, expansion into Europe presents a more complex regulatory challenge. However, Meta seeks to overcome these barriers by allowing European users to access Threads content without needing an active account, although one will be required to post.
Although Threads began its journey by quickly registering 100 million users, it experienced a decline in usage in subsequent weeks due to perceived user limitations. Meta has responded to these concerns by improving the tools available and allowing access to the service from the web, which has revitalized activity on the platform.
The landing in Europe could mark a turning point for Threads, since it currently has around 33 million daily and 75 million monthly active users, figures that represent a tenth of the active traffic of its competitor X and an even smaller fraction in comparison with Instagram, also owned by Meta.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta, has expressed confidence in Threads’ potential, noting that it could reach more than a billion users. Although it does not currently have advertising or subscription services, linking with Instagram allows users of the Meta Verified service to display a verified account badge.
The launch in Europe could be a catalyst for Threads’ growth, and Meta, which is preparing to test the long-term stability of its social network, aims to add 40 million additional users by 2024. At a time when the Competition in the “microblogging” space is intense, Threads seeks to gain ground by offering an attractive experience adapted to the preferences of European users.
