Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, introduced Instagram Threads recently. The application is intended to be a direct rival of Twitter and is already referred to as a Twitter killer by technology experts.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, stated on his Threads account that the blogging site received 10 million registrations within seven hours of its introduction and had reached 30 million in 24 hours. Several well-known celebrities and corporations, including Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Shakira, Gordon Ramsay, and Tom Brady, have signed on.
What Is Thread, And How Does It Work?
Threads is a simple text-based chat app that lets people write and send notes to each other in real time. Because it is a lot like Twitter, it has been compared to Twitter. In both apps, users can like, reply to, share, or send direct notes about the posts they see.
One big difference is that Threads is part of Meta’s bigger ecosystem. With the same login and the ability to follow the same profiles as on Instagram, the app makes it simpler for Instagram’s two billion monthly active users to switch from Twitter.
Hatch Group’s head of social, Jack Moore, says that this strategic move is a good one by Meta. He says that if Threads stopped using the model that Twitter made popular, it would be hard to get users, creators, and brands to join the platform.
Meta has made Threads easy to use and familiar, so even though it is similar to Twitter in many ways, it works well for users.
Instagram Threads Features
Threads is a community forum for discussing current events and other topics of interest. In the app’s own words: Whatever you’re into, you can follow and interact directly with your favorite creators and individuals who share your interest. Having a dedicated audience for your views, ideas, and creations is a powerful tool.
But are there any other features on Threads? Screenshots of the app provide some hints. Like Instagram, you may like, comment, and DM any post.
You may now reshare any post thanks to a new feature that looks a lot like Twitter’s retweet button. With Twitter, your responses will appear in a tidy thread, making it simple to follow the discussion.
The length of your posts is one-way Threads differs from Twitter. The character limit for posts is 500, which is nearly twice as many as Twitter allows. Similarly to Twitter, you may update your fans and other creatives with photos, videos, and links.
How do I use Threads?
Users in over a hundred countries can download the Threads via the iTunes and Google Play app stores.
The Instagram team made Threads, so users of Instagram can use their Instagram account to sign in to Threads. It’s true that the platform will carry over your username and verification status, but you can also modify other aspects of your profile, such as whether or not to continue following the same people as you do on Instagram.
Because Threads and Instagram are so linked, you should also be careful about deleting your account. The extra privacy policy for Threads says that you can disable your profile at any time, but you cannot remove your Threads profile unless you delete your Instagram account.
Can I use Threads if I don’t have Instagram?
Only people who already have an Instagram account can create a Threads profile. You have to sign up for Instagram before you can use Threads.
Mike Proulx, VP, and research director at Forrester, said that making Threads a division of Instagram was an excellent decision by Meta, even though this might get some pushback.
Proulx said that Instagram users get notifications when their friends join Threads, making more and more people sign up. That’s why over 10 million people joined Threads within the first seven hours of its release, the company says.
Still, Proulx said that it would be important in the long run to keep the momentum going and keep users’ attention after the initial interest bump. He said, “The long-term nature of Threads is what will ultimately determine whether it succeeds or fails.”
What makes Threads look like Twitter?
Microblogging on Threads is a lot like microblogging on Twitter. Users can check the number of likes and replies a post has received and repost, reply, or quote the thread.
Threads are limited to 500 characters, as opposed to Twitter’s 280-character limit, and can contain links, photographs, and videos of up to five minutes in length.
By Seeing early responses on Threads showed that Zuckerberg stated that making the app “a friendly place” is crucial to its success, and he went on to say that this was “one reason why Twitter didn’t succeed as much as we feel it should have, and we want to do things differently.”
Does Twitter want to go to court against Meta?
Semafor got a letter from Twitter on Thursday that said the company would sue Meta over Threads. Alex Spiro, a solicitor for Twitter, sent the note to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday.
In it, he blamed Meta for using Twitter’s proprietary information and other intellectual property without permission by hiring former Twitter workers to make a “copycat” app.
On Thursday afternoon, Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, wrote in response to the news about Spiro’s letter on Threads that “no one on the Threads technical staff is a former Twitter employee.”
Musk hasn’t tweeted directly about the chance of legal action, but he has responded to some funny comments about the launch of Threads. The owner of Twitter replied to a tweet that said Meta’s app was mostly made by copying and pasting with a laughing face emoji.
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino hasn’t said anything publically about the letter from Wednesday, but in a tweet on Thursday, it looked like she was talking about the start of Threads.
Final Words
It’s straightforward to see why so many people have already downloaded Threads. There’s a chance it’s part of a new social media craze, but many big brands, celebrities, writers, and other well-known people already use the app.
Many people will also like that it’s partly a ready-to-go app that can sync with those you follow on Instagram. Threads also have the added benefit of bringing in many people tired of Twitter. There isn’t much more to worry about with Threads if you’re already happy with having a Facebook account.
