Meta’s newly launched Threads app garnered a staggering 30 million users on its very first day, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s chief.
Positioned as a “friendly” alternative to Twitter, Threads aims to attract disgruntled Twitter users following the platform’s acquisition by Elon Musk.
Industry experts believe that Threads has the potential to entice users unhappy with recent changes implemented on Twitter.
However, Twitter CEO, Linda Yaccarino countered, asserting that while Twitter can be imitated, its unique community cannot be replicated.
Threads offers users the ability to post messages of up to 500 characters, providing a similar experience to Twitter.
Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of maintaining a “friendly” atmosphere on the platform, stating that it will ultimately determine its success.
In response, Elon Musk expressed his view, stating, “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”
When asked about the possibility of Threads surpassing Twitter in popularity, Mark Zuckerberg commented, “It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it.
Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully, we will.”
The launch of Threads has received a positive reception online, with many considering it a much-needed competitor to Twitter.
Users appreciate Threads’ expanded character limit of 500 compared to Twitter’s 280, as well as the ability to post videos lasting up to 5 minutes compared to Twitter’s 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
However, Twitter still holds advantages in areas such as direct messaging, trending stories, and the use of hashtags, which Threads currently lacks.
Verification on Threads is available, whereas on Twitter, it is part of the paid services along with longer posts, videos, and an editing function.
Critics of the app have raised concerns about potential data usage, including the collection of health, financial, and browsing data linked to users’ identities, as highlighted by the Apple App Store.
Another issue raised by users is the inability to delete a Threads profile without deleting the associated Instagram profile.
Meta acknowledged this concern, stating, “At this time, you can’t delete your Threads profile without deleting your Instagram account. This is something we’re working on. In the meantime, you can deactivate your Threads profile at any time.”
Deactivating the Threads profile will render the profile, posts, and interactions with other posts invisible.
Users have the option to download and delete Threads data by accessing their Instagram settings.
While Threads is currently available for download in over 100 countries, including the UK, it has not been released in the EU due to regulatory concerns.
