Ten million users have signed up for Meta’s newly launched Threads app in just its first seven hours, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s chief. Threads is being positioned as a “friendly” rival to Twitter, which was acquired by Elon Musk in October. Industry experts suggest that Threads could attract Twitter users who are dissatisfied with recent changes to the platform.
Similar to Twitter, Threads allows users to post up to 500 characters and offers many comparable features. Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of maintaining a friendly platform as the key to its success. In response, Musk stated that he prefers being attacked by strangers on Twitter rather than indulging in the “false happiness” of Instagram.
When asked whether Threads will be bigger than Twitter, Zuckerberg expressed optimism, stating that he believes there should be a public conversations app with over 1 billion users. He criticized Twitter for not capitalizing on this opportunity, expressing hopes that Threads will fill that gap.
Competitors have raised concerns about the amount of data the app might collect, including health, financial, and browsing data linked to users’ identities. Some users have also expressed worry about the inability to delete Threads profiles without deleting associated Instagram profiles. Meta has acknowledged these concerns and stated that they are working on addressing the issue.
Threads is currently available for download in over 100 countries, excluding the EU due to regulatory concerns. Meta has referred to the app as an “initial version” and plans to introduce additional features, such as the ability to interact with users on other social media platforms like Mastodon.
The release of Threads follows criticism of Meta’s business practices, including allegations of prioritizing profits over safety and mishandling user data. Despite alternatives to Twitter such as Bluesky and Mastodon existing, Threads has a significant advantage due to its integration with Instagram and its massive user base.
Threads allows users to share posts to Instagram and vice versa, including links, photos, and videos up to five minutes long. However, some early users have reported issues with uploading images, indicating potential teething problems. The app features a feed of posts, or “threads,” from followed accounts and offers options to control mentions, filter replies, unfollow, block, restrict, or report profiles.
While Meta highlights the connection to Instagram, media coverage has primarily focused on Threads’ resemblance to Twitter, with some investors even referring to it as a potential “Twitter killer.” Recently, Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, restricted the number of tweets users can see per day and urged users to sign up for Twitter Blue, the platform’s subscription service. Twitter has also announced that its user dashboard, TweetDeck, will become a paid service.
Users of Twitter have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the platform and Musk’s leadership, citing erratic behavior and political views. Last month, Musk and Zuckerberg jokingly agreed to a cage fight, and Zuckerberg’s initial posts on Threads mentioned his interest in mixed martial arts.
While Threads is available in the UK, it is not yet accessible in the EU due to regulatory uncertainty surrounding the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Meta is exploring options for launching in the EU, as the act sets rules on data sharing between platforms owned by large companies like Meta. Meta emphasizes its commitment to protecting user privacy, considering it fundamental to its business.
