Threads Launches in the European Union

Threads is now available to users in the European Union, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced. The move comes five months after the social media network launched in most markets around the world, but remained unavailable to EU-based users due to regulatory hurdles.

instagram threads app
"Today we're opening Threads to more countries in Europe," wrote Zuckerberg in a post on the platform. "Welcome everyone." In addition to creating a Threads profile for posting, users in the EU can also simply browse Threads without having an Instagram account, an option likely introduced to comply with legislation surrounding online services.

The company's delay in launching the service in EU countries is believed to have been caused by the EU's Digital Markets Act, or DMA, which is intended to make the tech sector more open and balance competition.

When Meta launched Threads in July, users signed up through their Instagram account, which allowed Threads to gain millions of users. The integration between the two platforms wasn't universally welcomed though, and led to complaints that it was impossible to delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account.

Then in November, Meta loosened the integration by rolling out a way to delete or deactivate a Threads profile separately while leaving the associated Instagram account intact.

The expansion into a market of 448 million people should see Threads' user numbers get a decent boost. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a company earnings call in October that Threads now has "just under" 100 million monthly users. Since its launch earlier this year it has gained a web app, an ability to search for posts, and a post editing feature.

Tag: Threads

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple Northbrook

Apple Store Permanently Closing at Struggling Mall in Chicago Area

Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location. Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017. Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...

Top Rated Comments

Glenny2lappies Avatar
16 months ago
Don't do Facebook.

I am not a product.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
breather Avatar
16 months ago
For the small small price of every possible data about you on your phone.
There is no privacy on threads, none at all.

[HEADING=3]Data Linked to You (as listed in Apple's App Store)[/HEADING]
Third-Party Advertising:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Developer's Advertising or Marketing:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content ( Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Analytics:


* Health & Fitness (Health, Fitness)
* Purchases (Purchase History, Financial Info, Payment Info, Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Audio Data, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Product Personalization:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

App Functionality:


* Health & Fitness (Health, Fitness)
* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Payment Info, Credit Info, Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Emails or Text Messages, Photos or Videos, Audio Data, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Other Purposes:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
16 months ago
This is awesome news, now people in the EU can enjoy Threads for all of one week before losing interest and forgetting it exists afterwards. :p
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thehangmn Avatar
16 months ago
Zuck's threads or Elons X... its like the american political system, two lousy options both set up to profit billionaires at your expense
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gank41 Avatar
16 months ago
Yeah, this implies I’d need to open an account up with Facebook- er, Meta- er, Instagram… whatever. I’ve been off Facebook for about 6-7 years now and will not be giving them more ad fodder.

Good to see I’ll soon be able to communicate with them all on Mastodon, though.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
currocj Avatar
16 months ago
Facebook is for grandmas to stalk family members who don’t post their anymore.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)