Meta to launch Threads in the EU within weeks

Meta is reportedly planning to launch Threads in the EU before the end of the year.

The news comes after X’s biggest advertisers – including Disney, Paramount and Sony Pictures –boycotted the Elon Musk-owned platform following his endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory

Why we care. Although Threads isn’t serving ads just yet, brands can still grow their audiences on the platform through influencer partnerships. It’s worth noting that ads on Threads are inevitable and will likely be a significant contributor to the app’s overall revenue when they do launch.

EU regulation difficulties. Threads was not rolled out to EU countries upon its global launch in July because of the EU’s strict privacy regulations. To comply, Meta modified its product to enable users to use the app without creating a profile. A profile is required if the user wishes to publish posts, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Threads users can now delete their Threads profiles without having to delete their associated Instagram accounts, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said.

Active subscribers. Threads now has just shy of 200 million monthly active users, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He predicted that figure could rise to one billion within the next few years.

By rolling out to EU countries, Threads could see up to 40 million extra monthly active users, according to independent tech analyst, Aho Williamson.

Deep dive. Read our Threads FAQ guide for more information on how the platform works.