Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently launched its Twitter competitor, Threads, just three months after announcing its plans for the app. Threads has gained significant traction, with over 100 million sign-ups in less than a week, including notable brands, celebrities, journalists, and prominent accounts.
Upon its launch, Threads generated a buzz reminiscent of the first day of school, as early adopters flocked to try out the app and share their initial posts. Some even speculated whether Threads could become the "Twitter killer." By Thursday morning, the app had claimed the top spot as the free app on Apple's App Store and was trending on Twitter.
Threads poses a potential threat to Twitter, especially considering the platform's recent vulnerabilities. Since Elon Musk assumed control of Twitter in October 2022, the platform has faced criticism for its improvised management approach. Recent user dissatisfaction was fueled by temporary limitations on daily content viewing. For Meta, Threads presents an opportunity to expand its collection of popular apps and offer a new advertising platform.
What is Threads? Threads is a new app developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The platform resembles Twitter, featuring a predominantly text-based feed, although users can also post photos and videos. It facilitates real-time conversations, allowing users to engage in discussions.
Threads restricts messages to a 500-character limit, akin to Twitter. Users can reply to, repost, and quote others' posts, similar to Twitter's functionality. The app incorporates Instagram's visual style and navigation system and permits direct sharing of posts from Threads to Instagram Stories.
Users can choose to list their Threads accounts as public or private. Verified Instagram accounts automatically receive verification on Threads.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expressed his vision for Threads in a post following its launch, stating, "The vision for Threads is to create an open and friendly public space for conversation. We aim to leverage Instagram's strengths and establish a novel experience centered around text, ideas, and discussions."
In the initial hours after Threads' launch, some users experienced occasional glitches and content loading issues. However, such challenges are expected when millions of users join and utilize an app simultaneously.
How do you sign up for Threads? Can you leave the app?
Users can sign up for Threads using their Instagram accounts, retaining their existing username, password, and account name. However, they can customize their bio specifically for Threads. Importing the list of accounts followed on Instagram is a seamless process, making it effortless to transition to the app.
However, leaving Threads is not as straightforward. While users can temporarily deactivate their profiles within the app's settings, the company states in its privacy policy that "your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account." Concerns have been raised regarding the amount of data Threads, similar to Instagram, collects about users, including location, contacts, search history, browsing history, and contact information, according to the Apple App Store.
Where is Threads available?
Threads is available in over 100 countries and supports more than 30 languages on both Apple's iOS and Android platforms.
What's next for Threads?
Despite its initial success, Threads currently lacks several features that users appreciate on Twitter, such as a desktop version, direct messaging, trending topics, and post editing capabilities.
Nevertheless, Meta executives have expressed plans to enhance Threads in the future. Adam Mosseri, in recent Threads posts, hinted at upcoming features like hashtags, an improved search function, a feed displaying only accounts followed by the user, and potentially direct messaging.