Meta Blocks EU Users from Accessing Threads App Through VPN

Meta, Instagram's parent company, announced that it prohibits EU users from using the Threads app through a VPN after several user concerns.

The tech company said that due to privacy concerns, Threads, launched last week, is not accessible in most EU nations. Meta said it had taken further steps to block EU citizens' access to the social app, according to TechCrunch.

Even though Threads is accessible in more than 100 nations, including the US and the UK, the EU has expressed concern over Meta's data-sharing policies.

Despite not being accessible in the EU, Threads has gained over 100 million users in a week. Due to its spontaneous growth without advertising or promotion, it has become a powerful Twitter opponent. Analysts speculate that a drop in Twitter's traffic may have been caused by users experimenting with or moving to Threads.

However, Sensor Tower reported a 20% drop in daily active users and app use this week compared to Saturday. Some pointed out the challenge of keeping users engaged among the decline factors, per ARS Technica.

Meta also issued an iOS app update for Threads, including iOS 17 compatibility, decreased binary size, and other minor improvements.

Meta Must Comply with EU Restrictions First

The impending Digital Markets Act (DMA) is something that Meta, which is regarded as a technological "gatekeeper" in the European region, wants to make sure Threads complies with, per Engadget. The EU needs Meta to seek authorization for tailored ads, which further complicates the app's entry into the EU market.

For targeted advertising, Threads gathers user data, including private information like financial and health records, exact location, and search and browsing histories. In the EU, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires data minimization and restricted uses, this data-collecting strategy creates questions.

The DMA requires Meta to assure compliance within six months of the EU's deadline of September 6, when all gatekeepers will be formally named.

EU Users May Have to Wait for Some Time

Users in several European nations may anticipate Threads to stay unavailable until Meta fixes the compliance problems. Due to recent statistics from Sensor Tower and Similarweb showing a reduction in daily active users and average use duration, this circumstance can impede the app's development.

Although it is still unknown how many EU users used Threads at its busiest, the effect of preventing VPN access in the EU is apparent. David Carr, senior insights manager at Similarweb, asserts that although Threads initially attracted a lot of attention, unlike other social applications, not all users have used it often.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, asserts that despite reports of decreased Twitter traffic and higher activity on Threads, Twitter's user seconds per day statistic is still rising.