Instagram Outpaces Facebook Growth Tenfold in European Union Markets

Meta's latest EU performance data reveals Instagram is experiencing dramatic growth, expanding at ten times the rate of Facebook across European markets. Between January and June 2025, Instagram's robust platform metrics and engagement rates show 281.8 million monthly active users (MAU) in the EU, while Facebook reported 263.6 million MAU.

The significant growth disparity highlights shifting social media preferences in Europe, with Instagram's user base growing 6.17% since March 2024, compared to Facebook's modest 0.65% increase. This trend signals a potential changing of the guard in social media dominance across the region.

Market Shifts and Platform Performance

Facebook's struggles in key European markets have become increasingly apparent. The platform has experienced user losses in several significant markets:

• The Netherlands
• Greece
• Germany

These declines come as Instagram's e-commerce capabilities and business features continue to strengthen its position as the preferred social platform for EU users. The trend may reflect broader global shifts, though Meta no longer releases Facebook-specific user counts in its quarterly updates.

Content Moderation and Safety Measures

Despite increasing AI integration, Meta maintains its human moderation team at 40,000 staff members, consistent with levels reported since 2023. The company's latest EU reporting data shows:

• Decreased spam removals on both platforms
• Significant increase in bullying and harassment-related content removal on Facebook
• 20% reduction in hate speech removals, though criteria changes make direct comparisons challenging

Platform Evolution and Market Impact

Instagram's competitive edge against other visual platforms continues to grow, particularly in content creation and advertising effectiveness. The platform's success has prompted increased investment in creator tools and enhanced analytics capabilities.

According to Meta's Q2 2025 Earnings Report, businesses leveraging Instagram's advertising solutions have seen a 35% increase in engagement compared to traditional Facebook campaigns.

The data comes from Meta's mandatory DSA (Digital Services Act) reporting obligations, which require large online platforms to provide regular updates on user numbers and content moderation efforts to EU authorities.