Meta has officially confirmed that it is blocking European Union citizens from using a VPN to join Poisons.
Recently, EU users began to notice that they were suddenly unable to post on the new social media platform. Industry analyst Matt Navarra spoke to Meta to find out what’s going on. In a statement given to Navarrathe tech giant admits it has taken “extraordinary steps to prevent people [in EU] countries [from] access to Threads,” which apparently includes blocking the use of VPNs that people often use to bypass online access restrictions.
Currently, the platform remains unavailable in most European countries. There are, of course, exceptions for non-members such as the United Kingdom. Meta concluded its statement by saying that it hopes to one day “bring Threads to more countries in the future” because Europe is an important market for the company.
Security issue
As frustrating as this is for people looking to try out the platform, it’s not surprising at all.
The European Union and Meta have been at odds with each other for years now over security concerns. Back in late May, privacy regulators slapped the company with a record-breaking €1.2 billion fine (about $1.3 billion) “for transferring EU user data to the US.” There is still a chance it might be hit with another fine “for violations of the General Data Regulation (GDPR) [law] on WhatsApp.” Add to the above new regulation from last year trying to control tech corporations and you can see why Meta doesn’t want to play ball with the EU.
Despite the push, it doesn’t appear Meta plans to change its data collection methods anytime soon. Threads can, if you choose, collect a ton of user information to the point where it’s almost ridiculous. If you look at the official product list of any of the Google Play Store or App Store, you will see that the app is ready to collect data on your health, your search history, browsing history, financial information, purchases, location, and more.
All your Threads belong to us https://t.co/FfrIcUng5O pic.twitter.com/V7xbMOfINtJuly 4, 2023
Although Meta wants to release Threads in Europe at the same time as it does elsewhere, we doubt the Union will allow the launch due to the amount of information the app could potentially collect.
Pending launch
It’s hard to say what Meta’s plan is going forward. The thread has taken off like a rocket since its launch. Head over to Instagram Announced by Adam Mosseri “100 million people [have] signed up for” service in less than a week. Momentum is strong right now, however, it’s important to mention the Threads that have dropped a bit. market research company The Sensor Firm told CNBC Daily active users have dropped 20 percent on the platform since it came out. The time spent on the website also fell by 50 percent.
So, the question is will Meta continue to play hardball with EU users or will it reverse this decision? We asked the company if they would like to make a statement about the situation. This story will be updated later.
Hopefully, Meta will come to an agreement with European regulators. We need more alternatives to Twitter and it’s a shame to see the momentum of the company kneecap Threads because of this situation.
In the meantime, check out TechRadar’s list of the three best Twitter alternatives if you’re looking for a new place to hang out.
