Meta seeks to win over Twitter users who are dissatisfied with the policies implemented since Elon Musk’s arrival on the platform.
Threads, Meta’s new social network, has arrived to try to unseat Twitter amid user discontent with the changes implemented since Elon Musk acquired the platform.
The new app links directly to Instagram and allows you to post threads, reply to others and follow content from multiple accounts. In any case, links, photos and videos can be included to make posts more interactive.
A few hours after its launch, Mark Zuckerberg has stated that 30 million people have already joined Threads, although the company maintains the expectation of reaching one billion users in the coming days.
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino responded in a tweet that several have tried to copy its formula without the same success, Mastodon being another of the alternative networks that gained momentum after the controversies caused by the arrival of Elon Musk to the social network: “We have been imitated, but the Twitter community can never be matched”.
The entrepreneur has not officially commented on Threads, but reacted with humor to Twitter user posts that mocked the similarities between the two platforms.
Threads is already available for iOS and Android in more than 100 countries, although it is not currently available in the European Union. In any case, it will be necessary to have an Instagram account in order to install the app and create a profile.
How to download the application?
Enter the App Store or Google Play Store. Once inside, type “Instagram Threads” in the search engine, the application is identified by its black and white icon. Then click on “Download”. Once it has been installed you will be able to access the application.
It is also likely that a notification will arrive directly to the Instagram profile, which will facilitate the download process.
How to activate the profile?
To start using Threads, you need to enter an Instagram user. The app will ask to fill in personal information, but an option to import the data directly from Instagram is also displayed.
You must choose whether you want the profile to be public or private, and once this step is completed you can select new contacts to follow.
How to use Threads?
With a graphical interface similar to that of Twitter, from the “home” section you can interact with the publications of others, and in the search icon you can locate other Threads users.
If you want to make a thread, click on the notebook icon. Once the message has been written, it should be published and continue with the text at the bottom. As with Instagram, the heart icon shows the recent activity of the account.
The main differences between Twitter and Threads
- Threads users can write up to 500 characters per thread, which is in contrast to Twitter’s 280.
- Threads does not have a limit on the number of posts viewed, as recently happened with the 600 set by Twitter.
- Unlike Twitter, Threads does not allow saving posts in draft, they must be shared immediately or discarded.
- Threads is governed by Instagram’s safety policies, with the same penalties for spam and hate speech.
So far, no advertising has been activated on Threads, although it is very likely that this measure is not definitive, as Mark Zuckerberg has stated that adjustments and improvements to the interface are still being implemented, which may be the main differentiator between the two social networks in the future.
This is what the first 24 hours of Threads have looked like
Big brands have already signed up, Twitter wants to denounce it, and there are many privacy issues along the way, but let’s take it one step at a time:
Despite being a newcomer, Threads has made waves, reaching a staggering 30 million signups in just 24 hours.
Threads was designed as an extension of Instagram, allowing users to move their entire Instagram community to the new platform with a single click. This simplicity has played a crucial role in its rapid adoption. However, with the explosive growth have come serious criticisms and concerns.
Design and privacy issues
One problematic aspect of Threads is that users cannot delete their account without also deactivating their linked Instagram account. The absence of a dedicated feed to display content from accounts that users choose to follow has been another cause of complaints. Instead, feeds have been reported to be flooded with content from unfollowed accounts.
Data collection and legal risks
More troubling are the privacy concerns surrounding Threads. The app collects a wide range of sensitive data, including sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, biometric data, religious and political beliefs, among others.
Such a practice could attract the attention of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Under an existing consent decree, if the linking of Threads and Instagram accounts is deemed an “unfair or deceptive” practice, Meta could face legal scrutiny.
Brands take advantage of the new platform
Despite the lack of advertising, major brands such as Netflix, Amazon, NFL and Pepsi have already registered accounts on Threads. The app offers brands a new platform to reach their audiences, despite the current uncertainties.
Threat from Twitter
Twitter’s response to the launch of Meta’s Threads app has been anything but indifferent. As reported by Semafor, the popular microblogging platform has threatened legal action against Meta, accusing it of poaching former employees and misappropriating trade secrets and intellectual property.
“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights and requires Meta to take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,” Alex Spiro, Elon Musk’s personal attorney, wrote in a letter to Meta. “Twitter reserves all rights, including, but not limited to, the right to seek civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice to prevent any further withholding, disclosure or use of its intellectual property by Meta.”
Spiro, who is acting on behalf of X Corp, Twitter’s parent company, contends that Meta has hired dozens of former Twitter employees over the past year. He claimed the company “deliberately assigned” them to work on Threads “with the specific intent that they use Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property to accelerate the development of Meta’s competing app.” He argued that this violates state and federal laws, as well as these employees’ obligations to their former employer. In addition, Spiro asserted that Meta is prohibited from scraping Twitter data related to who people follow.
Meta has refuted Spiro’s claims. “None of the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee, that is simply not true,” Meta communications director Andy Stone wrote on Threads.
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