In the dynamic and competitive world of social media, platforms are constantly evolving and innovating to stay relevant. Just recently, Meta launched Threads, an Instagram-integrated social media app. It is a testament to social media users’ ever-changing needs and preferences.
As our digital world becomes increasingly interconnected, there’s a growing demand for more intimate, private spaces for sharing and communication. Threads is Meta’s answer to this demand, offering a platform designed for sharing with a select group of people – your Instagram close friends list.
This standalone, camera-first messaging app is hailed as a potential “Twitter Killer”. But what exactly is Threads, and how does it compare to the social media giant Twitter?
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The Genesis of Threads – The Basics and Beyond
Threads is a fresh offering from Meta, spearheaded by Mark Zuckerberg. The app allows you to share photos, videos, messages, stories, and more with your Instagram close friends list. It’s designed to be a more intimate platform where you can share your day-to-day life with a select group of people rather than your entire Instagram following.
The creation of Threads was a strategic move by Meta to counter the growing popularity of Twitter, especially among younger users. Twitter’s real-time updates and public platform have made it a go-to source for news, trends, and public discourse. However, Twitter’s public nature can also be a double-edged sword, leading to issues like online harassment and misinformation.
Threads was designed to offer a more controlled, intimate social media experience. Threads aim to foster more genuine connections and conversations, free from public platform noise and potential pitfalls, by focusing on smaller, private groups.
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A Familiar Yet Innovative User Experience
Threads resemble Twitter’s design, but Instagram users will find the interface familiar yet innovative. The service supports text posts of up to 500 characters, photos, videos of up to five minutes, reposts, and quote posts. Users can also limit their replies, block and report other users, and share posts to their Instagram Story for added visibility.
The service is designed as a separate space for real-time updates and public conversations. It uses users’ Instagram credentials for login but plans to be compatible with a wider range of decentralised services like Mastodon. The launch of Threads has come when Twitter, under Elon Musk’s leadership, is facing criticism for strict rate limits and other unpopular moves.
Threads aims to challenge not just Twitter but also other Twitter alternatives like Mastodon by planning to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, the open-source protocol that powers Mastodon and other decentralised services.
Threads vs. Twitter – A Detailed Feature Comparison
To comprehend why Threads is being dubbed as a potential “Twitter Killer”, we need to compare the features of both platforms:
#1. Privacy
Threads is designed for sharing with a smaller, more intimate group of people – your Instagram close friends list. On the other hand, Twitter is a public platform where anyone can see your tweets unless you choose to make your account private.
#2. Content Sharing
Both platforms allow you to share text, photos, and videos. However, Threads is an app encouraging users to share their life through photos and videos, but text-based conversations are still dominant here, as per its unique name. Twitter, while it supports media sharing, is primarily text-based.
#3. Messaging
Threads is not built around the concept of direct messaging and doesn’t have a feature to do so currently; Mark might add this feature later-on. But on the other hand, Twitter has a direct messaging feature which is not actually its main focus.
#4. Stories
Threads allow you to share Instagram stories with your close friends list. You can also share your “Threads” from the app to Instagram stories. Twitter does not currently have a Stories feature.
#5. User Interface
Threads has a minimalist, user-friendly interface that allows for easy navigation. On the other hand, Twitter has a more complex interface with various features and settings.
#6. Notifications
Threads offer customisable notifications, allowing you to choose who to receive updates from. Twitter provides notifications for all interactions by default, which can overwhelm some users.
The Hype Around Threads – Real-Time Statistics
Threads got officially launched this month. Before it, the app was given to influencers only to provide valuable feedback. According to Statista, Threads saw an impressive 2 million downloads within the first two hours of its official launch, indicating a strong initial interest.
Threads has seen a significant surge in popularity. The hashtag #ThreadsApp has been trending on Instagram and Twitter, indicating high interest and engagement with the app.
The Impact on Twitter and Elon Musk
As the owner of Twitter, Elon Musk faces a potential challenge with the rise of Threads. Twitter’s public nature has been its strength and weakness, allowing for real-time updates and public discourse but also leading to issues like online harassment and misinformation. Threads, focusing on smaller, private groups, offer a different social media experience that could appeal to users seeking more controlled interactions.
However, it’s important to note that Twitter has a well-established user base and a unique role in the social media landscape, particularly in news dissemination and public discourse. While Threads may present a new competitor, it’s unlikely to replace Twitter entirely. Instead, it may push Twitter to innovate and improve its platform, potentially leading to a healthier and more diverse social media ecosystem.
How to Download and Use Threads
Downloading and using Threads is a straightforward process:
- Download the app: Threads is free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Log in with Instagram: After downloading the app, open it and log in using your Instagram account.
- Set up your close friends list: If you don’t already have a close friends list on Instagram, you can create one directly in Threads.
- Start sharing: Once you’ve set up your close friends list, you can share photos, videos, messages, and stories with them through Threads.
The Future of Threads
Meta plans to integrate ActivityPub into Threads, allowing users from Mastodon and other services that support ActivityPub to follow and interact with public-facing posts on Threads. This integration could usher in a new era of diverse and interconnected networks, allowing users to choose spaces that align with their values.
With over 1 billion Instagram users, Zuckerberg and Meta hope Threads can gather momentum faster than other decentralised upstarts. Zuckerberg expressed his ambition for Threads to become a public conversations app with over 1 billion users, a goal Twitter has not yet achieved.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Threads if I Don’t Have an Instagram Account?
Absolutely not. The platform clearly states that the user needs an active Instagram account to access Threads. Their policy also states that if you ever get tired of Threads and want to delete it, you’ll have to delete your Instagram as well. It means that your Threads and Instagram accounts are interconnected.
Can I Share My Threads’ Content on Instagram?
Yes, you can. Anything you share on Threads can be shared on Instagram, either to your main feed or your Story. This seamless integration between Threads and Instagram makes it easy to control where and with whom you share your content.
Can Anyone Message Me on Threads?
The app doesn’t provide a direct messaging feature currently as it’s focused on open text-based conversations. Even the content that you post on your timeline can only be seen by your close friends list if you have changed your account to private. You can also choose who can reply to your content and who cannot.
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