Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has acknowledged that it is preventing European Union (EU) citizens from accessing its social media platform, Threads, using virtual private networks (VPNs).
Users in the EU noticed they could not post on Threads, prompting industry analyst Matt Navarra to seek clarification from Meta. In a statement to Navarra, the tech giant admitted to implementing measures to prevent access to Threads from EU countries, including blocking VPNs commonly used to bypass online restrictions.
Currently, most European nations do not have access to the platform, with the exception of non-EU members, the United Kingdom. Meta expressed its intention to expand Threads to more countries in the future, highlighting Europe as an important market.
All your Threads are belong to us https://t.co/FfrIcUng5O pic.twitter.com/V7xbMOfINt
— jack (@jack) July 4, 2023
Security concerns and regulatory issues have been at the centre of the conflict between the EU and Meta. The company faced a record-breaking €1.2 billion fine over data transfers to the US and is potentially facing another fine for GDPR breaches in WhatsApp. Meta’s data collection practices, including those of Threads, have raised concerns among regulators.
While Threads has gained significant popularity since its launch, with 100 million sign-ups in less than a week, recent data suggests a decline in daily active users and time spent on the platform. Whether Meta will maintain its position or reconsider its decision regarding EU users remains.
Meta has not provided a statement on the situation at this time.
