Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has seen remarkable success with its newly-launched Threads app, attracting 10 million users within the first seven hours, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s chief. Threads is positioned as a “friendly” rival to Twitter, a platform that was recently acquired by Elon Musk. Experts believe that Threads has the potential to appeal to Twitter users who are dissatisfied with recent changes to the platform.
Similar to Twitter, Threads enables users to post messages of up to 500 characters and offers various features common to microblogging platforms. During the app’s launch, Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of maintaining a friendly atmosphere, which he believes will be crucial to its long-term success. However, Musk responded with a playful remark, stating that he finds it preferable to endure criticism from strangers on Twitter than to engage in the “false happiness” of Instagram.
When questioned about Threads’ potential to surpass Twitter, Zuckerberg acknowledged that it will take time but expressed his belief that there should be a public conversations app with over one billion users. He suggested that Twitter had the opportunity to achieve this but fell short, and he hopes that Threads can fill that void.
Some critics have raised concerns about the app’s data usage, including the potential collection of health, financial, and browsing data linked to users’ identities, as noted in the Apple App Store. Threads is currently available for download in over 100 countries, including the UK, but not yet in the EU due to regulatory uncertainties.
Meta describes Threads as an “initial version,” with plans to introduce additional features such as the ability to interact with people on other social media platforms like Mastodon. The company’s vision for Threads is to leverage the best aspects of Instagram and expand them into a text-based format. While Threads functions as a standalone app, users log in using their Instagram accounts, which carry over their usernames. However, users can customize their profiles specifically for Threads.
Users have the option to follow the same accounts they follow on Instagram, and Meta emphasizes that privacy settings can differ between the two platforms, allowing users to be private on Instagram while maintaining a public presence on Threads.
The release of Threads follows ongoing criticism of Meta’s business practices, including allegations of prioritizing profits over safety and controversies surrounding data privacy. Despite this, Meta has secured a significant advantage with Threads by leveraging its connection to Instagram and its vast user base.
Threads has the potential to disrupt the social media landscape, particularly in light of recent changes on other platforms. While alternatives to Twitter such as Bluesky and Mastodon have struggled to gain traction, Threads benefits from its association with Instagram, tapping into the hundreds of millions of existing users on the platform.
The app’s functionality enables users to share posts between Threads and Instagram, including links, photos, and videos up to five minutes in length. Users can also control their mentions, filter out specific word replies, and manage their connections by unfollowing, blocking, restricting, or reporting other profiles. Notably, any accounts blocked on Instagram are automatically blocked on Threads.
As the app gains popularity, some investors have described Threads as a potential “Twitter killer.” However, it remains to be seen how Threads will evolve and whether it can truly challenge established platforms in the long run.
Twitter, on the other hand, has faced criticism and user dissatisfaction under Musk’s leadership, prompting the Tesla CEO to limit the number of tweets users can see perday and introduce Twitter Blue, a subscription service. Twitter has also announced that its user dashboard TweetDeck will soon require a paid subscription.
The competition between Meta and Twitter has escalated, with Musk jokingly expressing relief that Meta is “sanely run” compared to its controversial past. This rivalry has gained attention as Threads offers a compelling alternative to Twitter, backed by Meta’s extensive user base.
While Threads has launched in the UK, it has not yet become available in the EU due to regulatory uncertainties surrounding the EU’s Digital Markets Act. This act sets forth regulations on data sharing between platforms owned by large companies like Meta, and Threads’ integration with Instagram raises concerns in this regard. However, Meta has expressed intentions to explore launching Threads in the EU.
As Meta continues to emphasize privacy protection as a fundamental aspect of its business, the success of Threads highlights the company’s ability to create engaging and competitive social media experiences. With its growing user base and strategic alignment with Instagram, Threads poses a potential challenge to Twitter’s dominance in the social media landscape.
