Introducing Threads:
Threads is a recently launched app developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The platform bears resemblance to Twitter, featuring a feed primarily consisting of text-based posts, although users have the option to share photos and videos as well. This allows individuals to engage in real-time conversations.
Messages shared on Threads are limited to 500 characters, similar to Twitter's character limit. Users can reply to, repost, and quote other users' posts on Threads, mirroring some of Twitter's functionality. The app also incorporates elements of Instagram's design and navigation, and offers the ability to directly share posts from Threads to Instagram Stories.
Thread accounts can be designated as public or private, and verified Instagram accounts automatically receive verification on Threads. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed the vision of creating a friendly public space for conversation with Threads, leveraging Instagram's strengths to foster discussions around text, ideas, and personal thoughts.
During the initial hours after the launch, some users encountered occasional glitches and difficulties in loading content. Such issues are not uncommon when a large number of users join and utilize an app simultaneously.
How to sign up?
According to the company, Threads is accessible in over 100 countries and supports more than 30 languages through Apple's iOS and Android platforms. Signing up for Threads is a breeze as users can conveniently register using their existing Instagram accounts. This means that they can retain their Instagram username, password, and account name, while having the flexibility to customize their bio specifically for Threads. Moreover, importing the list of accounts they follow directly from Instagram simplifies the process of getting started on the app.
However, departing from Threads is not as straightforward. Although users have the option to temporarily deactivate their profiles through the app's settings, the privacy policy states that permanently deleting a Threads profile requires deleting the associated Instagram account. This aspect has raised concerns among some users regarding the extent of data collection by Threads and Instagram. The Apple App Store indicates that both apps can potentially gather data such as location information, contact details, search and browsing history, and more.
ios :Get Threads
Android: Get Threads
Threads: the ‘Twitter killer’?
Threads emerges as the latest contender in the ongoing quest to dethrone Twitter as the leading platform for real-time, public conversations. However, it appears to have a higher likelihood of success compared to its predecessors.
The desire for an alternative to Twitter has been expressed by numerous users, especially since Elon Musk's takeover of the platform last year. Technical glitches and policy changes have driven some prominent Twitter users away.
One advantage that Threads holds over Twitter is the sheer size of its existing user base. Meta, the parent company of Threads, aims to attract a portion of its over 2 billion active Instagram users to the new app, whereas Twitter's active user base stands around 250 million.
Mark Zuckerberg, in a Threads post, expressed his belief that a public conversations app with over 1 billion users is possible, a feat he feels Twitter hasn't accomplished yet. Meanwhile, Twitter's new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, acknowledged the launch of Threads in a tweet but asserted that the Twitter community is irreplaceable.
Meta's already established scale and infrastructure may work to its advantage. Unlike other recent Twitter competitors that required users to join waitlists or receive invitations, Threads simplifies the onboarding process, making it easy for users to get started.
However, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri mentioned in a video that the challenge for new social media platforms lies not in getting users to sign up but in maintaining long-term engagement.
Meta faces the task of combating spam, harassment, conspiracy theories, and false claims on Threads, issues that have contributed to disillusionment among Twitter users. The launch of the new platform coincides with Meta's layoffs of more than 20,000 employees, including those focused on user experience, well-being, policy, and risk analytics. Additionally, with the upcoming 2024 US Presidential election campaign season, experts warn of an impending wave of misinformation. Meta assures that its Community Guidelines will apply to Threads, just as they do for its other apps.
Last Thoughts for Meta?
Threads presents an opportunity for Meta to further engage its extensive user base and potentially supplement its core advertising business. While currently ad-free, Threads could eventually contribute to boosting Meta's advertising revenue, which has faced challenges due to a decline in the online ad market and changes in Apple's app privacy practices. However, it's worth noting that Threads may not attract as many advertising investments as Meta's other platforms, based on the historical trends seen on Twitter.
Nevertheless, for Mark Zuckerberg, the allure of Threads could also lie in surpassing his rival, Elon Musk, with whom he has been planning a cage fight in recent weeks. Winning the battle of social networks might be an even greater accomplishment for Zuckerberg.