Here’s a question: will European users ever get to join Threads?

I’ve been wondering that as I’ve reported on the response by Meta Platforms to increasing European restrictions on the personal data tech companies can share with advertisers. As I wrote Friday, the parent of Facebook and Instagram has been showing some users in Europe—and young people elsewhere—ads that don’t take into account everything they do on Meta’s apps. The Digital Markets Act, which goes into effect in March, will make rules around Meta’s EU users even tougher.  

Already the sprawling DMA has kept Meta from launching Threads, its text-based sister app to Instagram, in Europe. Earlier this year, engineers at Instagram were moving quickly to build Threads, hoping to capitalize on the chaos unfolding at Twitter. They were able to jumpstart the app by building Threads on Instagram’s tech foundations, allowing users to sign up through Instagram, and transfer their personal data over from the bigger app.