Where the Twitter goes, the thread follows?
Table of contents
A new Meta app has unexpectedly appeared on the market. The company owning Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, has been crafting a new endeavor and deliberately kept it confidential. On the 5th of July, Meta presented an application named Threads, which shortly provoked the interest of around 30 million subscribers (according to some sources, during the first 16 hours after launching). And it is now considered to have become Twitter’s main «opponent».
What is Threads?
The Instagram team just released Threads, a new tool for joining online discussions and sending text messages. You can create posts as long as 500 symbols, they may contain images, links, and 5-minute videos.
There are a million-plus users who communicate on Instagram and share pictures and videos. In order to create a pleasant and inspiring environment where you can share your thoughts, Threads aims to adopt best options from Instagram, which means it creates a way to be in touch with people, who have similar interests and stay connected to those you follow on Instagram. Additionally, you may make advantage of current set of safety controls.
What’s attractive about Threads?
No charge.
Same as most of the social media apps today- you can use Threads with no charge and can get it from Play or App Store.
No hassle.
For those worried about registration and how time-consuming it can get: there is a fast way to sign up the new app- via your Instagram account. It is also possible to modify your settings for Threads while keeping the username and authentication of Instagram.
«High-ten!»
Users can publish up to 10 photographs at a time same as on Instagram, whereas Twitter's limit is 4 pictures.
Clear interface.
For those well-familiar with social media and apps, it won’t be a problem to get used to Threads. You navigate easily through the tabs: from home to search, from activity to profile. The concept of notifications is also rather simple; you can choose to be notified about preferable actions and reactions or freeze them if needed.
Privacy.
The fact that nowadays feeling safe is becoming more and more essential to many users have been taken into consideration by the developers. You can switch your account to “private” and only the “allowed” ones will be able to see it. Additionally, you have the option to mute accounts, pick who may mention you, and conceal objectionable language. There is an easy way to ban other profiles and hide likes.
There is even an option to be reminded to get some rest and freeze your account. Additional features, such as password updates and two-factor authentication, are applicable to both Threads and Instagram.
Topical questions
Feed not only from friends? What about chronology?
Threads submitted by users you follow and suggested material from up-and-coming authors are both displayed in your news feed. According to Mosseri, the head of Instagram, at some point Threads will include chronological feed choices.
Threads decentralized?
So far, it remains an intention. Meta emphasized that their new project was meant to become a decentralized network where users could be in charge of their algorithms. In the nearest future the company plans to use 'ActivityPub' protocol, same as Mastodon.
Can you delete your account?
You can remove your account, but together with the one on Instagram. There is also an option to deactivate your account on Threads and still keep your access to Instagram.
All the information, including your comments, will be fully hidden till you return, but your account won't be permanently gone.
Ads on Threads?
Mosseri states that ads are not their top concern. Feeling very grateful for everyone who has signed up, the team keeps working on making the app convenient enough before they can move on to profit topics.
What’s yet to come?
Since this present version of Threads is only the first iteration, Mosseri along with others have been working on potential features that may be added. Here are a handful of the options for Threads that were indicated as being in the making:
- Following feed
- Enhanced search
- Remove Threads profile and keep Instagram account
- ActivityPub (decentralization)
- Time-based feed
- Synchronization of graphs
- Possibility for having many accounts
- Hashtags
- Web-based interface
- Messages
Threads or Twitter?
The launching of Threads means a serious challenge for Twitter. It can be considerably simpler to get users quickly because of Threads' integrated access to Instagram.
The recent unpleasant situation with Twitter has a big impact on the choice of subscribers so Meta picked the good time for presenting the new project. However, there are some challenges the company is facing and estimations regarding the app's success are highly contradictory.
Twitter is known as a stand-alone system with its own set of rules and guidelines. Musk has made public his intentions to turn Twitter into an outstanding application with a variety of extra functions, including the ability for subscribers to make transactions.
On the contrary, Threads depends heavily on Instagram. Every aspect depends on Instagram, involving its rules, account details, user growth, and further. This dependence has helped Threads develop into the app with the highest increase among users, but it also restricts users in a small environment, which might be uncomfortable.
Conclusion
Threads now seems to have achieved sudden recognition. As it was stated by Mr. Zuckerberg: a few hours after its release 10 million people had registered on Threads. Five days later the number rose to 100 million. Even the famous chatbot gives way to Threads success: as per analytics company Similarweb, Chat GPT gathered close to 100 million subscribers during two months after being launched. For Threads it was a sure record to achieve such results within a relatively short period of time. Let’s see if they manage to overcome the challenges they are yet to face.
Director of Operations and Business Development
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