Instagram is Growing at 10x the Rate of Facebook in Europe

Posted on September 2, 2025
Source: Social Media Today – Latest News by Andrew Hutchinson. Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of Meta’s Latest EU Performance Updates Reveal Instagram’s Surging Growth Over Facebook

Meta’s recent EU data highlights that Instagram is expanding at over 10 times the rate of Facebook within Europe. While Facebook’s user base shows minimal growth and even declines in some countries, Instagram’s monthly active users have increased by more than 6% since early 2024. Despite the rise of AI, Meta maintains a steady human moderation team of 40,000, with varying trends in content removals such as spam and hate speech. This shift underscores Instagram’s growing dominance in the European social media landscape.

Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding Meta’s Shifting Social Media Landscape in the EU

Instagram’s Accelerated Growth vs. Facebook’s Plateau in Europe

Meta’s latest DSA (Digital Services Act) reports reveal compelling insights into the current social media dynamics in the European Union. Instagram boasts 281.8 million monthly active users (MAUs) across EU member states between January and June 2025, surpassing Facebook’s 263.6 million MAUs in the same period. Notably, Instagram’s user base grew by 6.17% since March 2024, compared to Facebook’s modest 0.65% increase. In fact, Facebook experienced user declines in countries like The Netherlands, Greece, and Germany, signaling a potential shift in regional social media preferences.

Key Moderation and Content Trends in Meta’s EU Operations

  • Human Moderation Team: Meta maintains a stable team of 40,000 content moderators for the EU, unchanged since 2023, despite integrating more AI tools and a Community Notes approach in the U.S.
  • Content Removals: There is a noted decrease in spam removals on both Facebook and Instagram, while Facebook saw a significant rise in removals related to bullying and harassment.
  • Hate Speech: Hate speech removals dropped by 20%, though changes in removal criteria complicate direct comparisons.

Implications and Broader Market Reflections

While Facebook remains a major platform in Europe, the data suggests Instagram is becoming the primary focus for Meta’s growth strategies in the region. This trend likely mirrors wider shifts in user behavior and platform preferences across global markets. Meta’s transition to reporting combined “Family of Apps” user numbers obscures standalone Facebook data, but the EU figures provide a valuable window into ongoing changes. Overall, Instagram’s rising popularity and engagement in Europe position it as a key driver of Meta’s future social media ecosystem.