KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Meta’s Threads Launches in EU: Meta’s Thread, an alternative to Elon Musk’s X, is now available in the European Union, welcoming nearly half a billion potential users.
- Delayed EU Launch: Threads initially launched in 100 countries, excluding the EU, due to strict privacy laws. The delay was to comply with EU regulations.
- EU-Specific Features: To address privacy concerns, Meta allows EU users to browse Threads without a profile. However, interaction or posting requires logging in with an Instagram account.
- Privacy Controversy: Meta’s Threads has faced criticism for collecting extensive user data, including location and search history, making it the worst offender in protecting user privacy compared to rivals.
- User Engagement Fluctuations: After a surge in initial users, Meta’s Threads experienced a significant drop in engagement. However, as the app developed more features, daily active users rebounded to 33 million in October.
- Competing with X: Meta’s Threads is emerging as a strong alternative to Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), gaining traction as X struggles to retain users and advertisers. Musk has even threatened to sue Meta over alleged misappropriation of Twitter trade secrets.
Meta’s Threads, positioned as a rival to Elon Musk’s X, is making its debut in the European Union, a vast market with nearly half a billion potential users. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, welcomed the expansion, announcing, “Today, we’re opening Threads to more countries in Europe.”
Meta’s Threads Enters European Union Market Amid Privacy Concerns and Growing Competition with X (Formerly Twitter)
Although Threads initially launched in July across 100 countries, including the US and some European nations like the UK and Ukraine, it had not been introduced in the EU. The delay in the 27-nation bloc was attributed to stringent privacy laws.
To address concerns from regulators in Brussels, Meta has made a concession for EU users. They can now browse Threads without creating a profile. However, to interact or post on the platform, users still need to log in with their Instagram accounts.
Meta has faced criticism for its social media platforms, accused of collecting more personal data than competitors. A study identified Threads as the most concerning regarding user privacy. The app utilizes Instagram user data, including location and search history, contributing to its rapid sign-up of 100 million users within the first five days of its July 5th debut.
Despite this initial surge, Meta’s Threads experienced a decline in user engagement, dropping 79% from its peak of 49.3 million daily active users on July 7th to 10.3 million on August 7th, according to Similarweb. As Threads evolved with new features and users shifted away from X (previously Twitter), engagement rebounded, reaching 33 million daily active users in October, according to Apptopia data.
The EU launch is anticipated to significantly increase Threads’ user count, coinciding with challenges faced by X in retaining both users and advertisers. Despite Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri emphasizing that Threads aims to provide a “public square” rather than replace Twitter, it has emerged as a prominent alternative.
Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter more than a year ago and rebranded it as X in April, expressed discontent with Threads’ launch, threatening legal action against Meta for alleged misappropriation of Twitter trade secrets and intellectual property.
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Source(s): Cybernews
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