goal is on April 29 following a provisional court order from the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA) instagram;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “>against automatic data exchange with instagram. The TCA ruled that linking Threads and instagram without user authorization “will cause irreparable harm” and that Meta “abused its dominant position” in the industry with this practice. The TCA also suggested that the link exists primarily to increase the company's “market power.”
Instead of making changes to the way instagram and Threads integrate in the region, Meta is retiring the nascent social media app. The company says this is simply a temporary measure while it works to appeal the court order, but there is no timeline for that. Meanwhile, Meta suggests that users in Türkiye deactivate their accounts or delete them completely. Those who deactivate will recover their posts and interactions “if Threads returns” to the country.
Turkish regulators aren't the only ones who think the automatic linking between Threads and instagram is a little creepy at best. It has been a point of contention since the platform launched last year. The apps were so tied together that users couldn't even delete a Threads account, although Meta patched this several months ago.
Meta also began promoting Threads posts on facebook and instagram, eventually allowing the “feature.” This is the type of automatic data sharing that upset the TCA and led to the recent court order.
Furthermore, this is not the first regulatory battle between Meta and Türkiye. The country fined Meta $18.6 million in 2022 for sharing data between its applications. facebook–instagram-whatsapp-meta-turkey-antitrust-order/” data-ylk=”slk:according to a report by TechCrunch;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “>. This is an alleged violation of the country's competition laws. The country asked Meta to submit documents detailing its efforts to stop violations of these laws, but Turkish regulators said explanations were lacking. As such, the country imposed additional fines on Meta, .
