Threads launching in EU this week?

Threads looks set to launch in the EU on December 14.

European Instagram users have spotted a countdown timer and a QR code that announces the launch upon scanning.

There is no word on which countries this will include.

The delay comes after Meta faced tighter restrictions under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Meanwhile, Meta recently set out its plans ahead of the 2024 elections.

Sir Nick Clegg, president of global affairs at Meta - which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads - laid out the measures it's putting in place to prevent misinformation and hate spreading as the battles for power commence.

Like in previous years, Meta will "block new political ads during the final week of the US election campaign."

Advertisers will also have to "disclose when they use AI or digital methods to create or alter a political or social issue ad in certain cases."

The blog post read: "Next year, more than two billion people will head to the polls in elections across some of the world’s biggest democracies, including the United States, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the European Union. Over many years, Meta has developed a comprehensive approach for elections on our platforms. With so many important elections approaching, we are setting out how the policies and safeguards we have established over time will apply in 2024."

Clegg said one of the biggest challenges" is AI.

He continued: "No tech company does more or invests more to protect elections online than Meta – not just during election periods but at all times. We have around 40,000 people working on safety and security, with more than $20 billion invested in teams and technology in this area since 2016. While much of our approach has remained consistent for some time, we’re continually adapting to ensure we are on top of new challenges, including the use of AI. We’ve also built the largest independent fact-checking network of any platform, with nearly 100 partners around the world to review and rate viral misinformation in more than 60 languages."

Clegg concluded: "This approach is consistent with how we have sought to prevent abuse of our platforms during recent major elections in Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey and Argentina, and this year’s state and local elections in the US. While we are conscious that every election brings its own challenges and complexities, we’re confident our comprehensive approach puts us in a strong position to protect the integrity of next year’s elections on our platforms."

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