Independent.ie announced that Instagram’s new app, Threads, will not launch with us. Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), Twitter competitor should initially only reach the United States and the United Kingdom.
For once, it wasn’t DCP that explicitly blocked the launch of Instagram Topics, but it was Instagram’s parent company Meta, which has chosen not to promote the app in the EU at this time. So tomorrow, the app will only be available across the Atlantic and the Channel, not here.
Why is Meta delaying the launch of Threads in Europe?
Meta did not specify why the app is not currently scheduled to launch in France. However, this move is likely to avoid potential conflicts with regulators. Meta definitely wants to make sure Threads complies with European privacy laws before making it available to European users.
The EU requires companies to comply with much stricter privacy laws and European data collection practices. The topics are probably not yet compliant with current regulations.
We imagine the main concern with Threads is: Ability to collect data from Instagramincluding sensitive information such as health data, location details, and search history. The DPC had already interfered with Meta’s plan to serve ads on WhatsApp that would collect data from Facebook and WhatsApp, so it’s likely that Meta won’t have to give justifications to the Data Protection Commission again.
Anyway, users located in eligible countries can already access the app’s website which includes a countdown to app launch and a QR code to download the mobile app. The website’s download page currently offers a pre-order button for the iOS app, while the Play Store option says the app will be available soon.
