Less Than A Week Old – Meta Threads Is Downloaded By Millions
At midnight Wednesday, Meta’s photo-sharing site Instagram launched a text-only version called Threads for users in over 100 countries worldwide, including those from the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan. Though there were initial glitches, thirty million registered by Thursday’s noon deadline, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s website Threads.
Recent additions to the platform include Oprah Winfrey, pop superstar Shakira and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, and corporate accounts from Taco Bell, Netflix, Spotify, the Washington Post and other media channels.
Threads is a new social network designed to offer “unique, distinct areas for live updates and public discussions,” coming at a time when many are seeking Twitter alternatives due to Elon Musk’s tight control since purchasing it last year for $44 billion. Unfortunately, its deployment raises serious security issues, especially within Europe.
Here’s What You Should Know About Meta Threads
How Can I Access Threads? Threads is now available to download on Apple and Google Android app stores across more than 100 nations worldwide.
Threads was developed in partnership with Instagram so users could sign in via their Instagram accounts, with their username and verification status being transferred over onto Threads automatically. You also have options available on the platform for customizing certain aspects of your profile – for instance, following users from both platforms simultaneously or not following individuals whose posts you follow on Instagram.
Because Threads and Instagram are so interlinked, taking preventive measures against account deletions is vital. According to Threads’ additional privacy guidelines, you can temporarily suspend or deactivate your profile at any point; however, your Threads profile is only deleted upon the deletion of an Instagram profile.”
Can I Use Meta Threads Without An Instagram Account?
At present, only Instagram users are eligible to create Threads accounts. In order to log in through Threads, register with Instagram first.
Though it will draw criticism, Forrester vice president and director of research Mike Proulx thinks making Threads an extension of Instagram was an intelligent decision on Meta’s part.
Proulx stated, “Threads is stimulating user curiosity,” noting how Instagram users receive notifications regarding friends joining Threads which has driven up its membership rapidly since its debut. He went on to explain that one reason Threads attracted over 10 million subscribers within seven hours after its launch is this very effect.
However, Proulx noted that maintaining momentum and interest beyond initial excitement would be essential to sustain and capture interest beyond initial peak levels over time, noting “that threads’ longer-term nature will determine their ultimate effectiveness or otherwise.”
How Does Meta Threads Differ From Twitter?
Threads Microblogging, like Twitter, allows users to retweet, respond or reference an article, view its likes and replies count, as well as view how long “threads” last (500 characters as opposed to 280 for Twitter) as well as include video, images and links that last up to five minutes each time a “thread” is created.
Threads’ first replies from Zuckerberg showed his appreciation of this approach to success, saying creating a comfortable environment was key to its success and one reason Twitter did not perform as expected at first, which explains why they’re working to alter it now.
Seeking Legal Action Against Meta?
Twitter threatened legal action against Meta concerning Threads via a letter provided through Semafor on Thursday morning, accusing them of misappropriating trade secrets and intellectual property belonging to Twitter by hiring former employees to develop “copycat” applications like Threads. Alex Spiro, representing Twitter, claimed in this letter sent directly to Mark Zuckerberg from Alex Spiro, representing Meta, for engaging in activity that misappropriates Twitter trade secrets, including intellectual property heiress, by hiring former Twitter employees to create “clones.”
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded to Spiro’s letter on Thursday afternoon by noting, “None of Threads Engineering Team was previously employed by Twitter.”
Musk has not directly addressed legal action via Twitter; instead, he has responded to various jokes regarding his Threads launch with jokes of his own, such as when Twitter’s owner, Jack Dorsey, tweeted that Meta’s application had been developed through copy and paste using an emoticon for laughing out loud.
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino has not made a formal response to Wednesday’s letter, yet appeared to respond on Thursday’s Tweet when Threads launched by saying, in essence: “Twitter Community Can Never Be Replicated.
Have you seen anything like this done before? No one has attempted this before now.
Meta’s new text-based software signals its intent to take on Twitter directly. Under their turbulent ownership, numerous unwelcomed changes by customers and advertisers alike have brought unanticipated surprises that have many looking for alternatives to Twitter.
Threads is the latest Twitter rival to enter this field, following Bluesky, Mastodon, and Spill.
How Can Threads Moderate Content?
Threads will follow Instagram’s security measures by applying their guidelines for community members and offering tools that restrict who can post comments or mention users.
Content warnings in search results, such as those related to conspiracy theory organizations and false information regarding COVID-19 vaccines, could have parallels on Instagram.
What Are My Privacy Concerns?
Threads may gather personal data such as financial, health and contact details, browsing and search history and location data, purchases made, and “sensitive information” according to its data collection policy on the App Store.
Meta Threads app is currently not available in Europe due to strict privacy rules.
Meta has informed Ireland’s Data Privacy Commission, Meta’s primary privacy regulator in Europe, that it does not yet plan to introduce Threads within the bloc of 27 nations, according to Graham Doyle from Ireland’s Data Privacy Commission. Meta stated they were exploring expanding Threads across more countries but, due to regulatory concerns, postponed any launch plans within Europe for now.
What Are Thread’s Future Prospects?
Threads’ success is far from assured. Industry watchers point out Meta’s history of launching standalone applications which later folded – such as Instagram messaging app “Threads,” which shut down only two months after its debut in 2019, Proulx notes.
Proulx and others contend that this new application could prove an immense headache for both Musk and Twitter.
“The initial excitement around a new app may soon subside, but the alternative will remain and become an attractive replacement to Twitter despite its flaws,” explained Paolo Pescatore from PP Foresight, adding that its combination of Twitter’s features with Instagram’s style and design would increase user satisfaction.
Threads is still in its early stages and relies heavily on user feedback for success. Pescatore believes that not everyone may appreciate how Instagram links with Threads, so introducing new features remains crucial.
“Our primary test here isn’t whether we can generate lots of hype, but rather whether all users find sufficient value from using Instagram for an extended period,” Instagram Head Adam Mosseri noted in a Threads article published Thursday. Furthermore, many users had already admitted there are numerous “fundamentals” not covered, such as hashtags and direct messaging among users. He acknowledged this with “Full transparency, but it will take some time.”
