Threads, the social media platform launched by Meta to rival Elon Musk’s X, will begin to roll out a direct messaging function to Irish and European users over the coming days, some three months behind the US launch.
The Facebook and Instagram owner said on Wednesday that messaging will allow users to set up group chats and send invite links to contacts.
The service will be rolled out across the European Union (EU) “over the next few days”, Meta said in a statement.
Launched more than two years ago as an offshoot of Instagram, Meta has continued to distinguish Threads from its sister platform, as it looks to take on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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The tech giant said on Wednesday that direct messaging was the most requested feature on Threads and it has been “steadily improving the experience since July”.
Threads messaging now supports the sending of photos, videos, GIFs and stickers between users, it said.
“As more people join communities they only follow on Threads, messaging makes it easier to build and strengthen connections without the need to switch apps,” Meta said.
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“We’ll continue refining the experience based on community feedback, with more updates – including improved inbox management tools – on the way.”
Threads was launched in more than 100 countries in July 2023, including the US and the UK.
However, the EU launch of the platform was delayed as Meta engaged with European regulators to ensure the service complied with local laws. The company said it believed the service complied with regulations here and would continue to engage with data-protection authorities.
Separately, Instagram on Tuesday unveiled new protections for young users that mean teenagers will only see content on the platform that is the equivalent of what they would see in a PG-13 film.
The update, which will be available in Ireland from early 2026, will see the setting automatically applied to teen users under the age of 18.
