Threads
Meta’s new social app, Threads has now over 50 million users.
What is Threads and how it is connected with Instagram?
Threads by Instagram was launched on Tuesday, and gained 50 million users in just 24 hours after the app was installed. The platform is a text-based microblogging service that can potentially compete Twitter.
The sign-up process is the major factor for the app’s success. A user can directly head over to Threads through the Instagram app. A user can sign in with the Instagram credentials and keep the same username, followers and verification status. Meta used its user base of over 2.35 billion active Instagram users to get users to sign up for Threads.
How the new Social Media app works?
The text-based version of the app is focused on public discussions and text content rather than visual content. Moreover, the app features photo-video sharing app, Instagram’s comment section in its design, however offers kind of similar features to its competitor – Twitter, including re-sharing and replying to posts. While Twitter offers only 280-character limit for a post, with Threads you can create posts with up to 500 characters including 10 photos, videos up to 5-minutes long and engage in real-time conversations.
How Instagram is boosting the app?
To push the app through the Instagram users, Meta displays a serial number on the Instagram profile of the user whenever then first sign up to the app – displaying when they logged in to the app. According To Meta, “A user can easily share a Threads post to their Instagram story or link with an access to the Threads post to any social media platform.”
The app was launched on Wednesday, on Apple and Android app stores in more than 100 countries, but is yet to release in Europe due to regulatory concerns. Threads will not run any adds for now.
How Threads is different from other apps?
Threads is a social media platform which focuses on meaning conversations. The app is a dedicated platform for users who indulges in deeper discussions, thoughtful interactions, and engage a network. The platform gives its users an organized discussion structure, allowing users to engage in the content of their interest. The app was developed with an intention to provide a more intimate space for private interaction within a user’s network.
Is Threads going to take over Twitter?
Within the first 24 hours of the launch, Threads had more than 30 million users. With the Instagram’s user base who can directly link their account to the new conversation app, Threads audience will grow rapidly. Similar to that of Twitter, the app allows a user to reply, love, and comment on other people’s post or “threads” in a simple white and black feed.
Twitter, had enjoyed many years of success with journalists, institutions, governments worldwide using the app to share information publicly.
Threads has gained enormous popularity however; Twitter users may be concerned about jumping to the newly launched app as signing up to the app comes with its own data privacy concerns. As indicated in the privacy policy of the app, “the user’s information will be used to personalize ads and other experiences”. Additionally, once you sign up to Threads you can only delete your Threads account if you delete your Instagram account.
This is also to note, Threads can’t be edited. Also, Threads does not use hashtags and features trending section.
Threads isn’t the only competitor to Twitter. In fact, it comes after BlueSky, the Jack Dorsey-backed Twitter clone; Mastodon, Substack Notes, among others. However, Threads is benefitted by Instagram’s existing more than 2 billion userbase, whereas the above platforms had to start from scratch.
