Threads, Meta’s competitor to Twitter, saw over 10 million users sign up within a few hours of its launch, according to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook’s parent company. The number is expected to grow rapidly as more Instagram users and social media enthusiasts join the platform. NBC News reported that 23 million people had signed up by Thursday morning, based on the number of Threads badges displayed on Instagram users’ accounts. Threads poses as a formidable rival to Twitter, owned by Elon Musk, although Twitter has seen numerous competitors emerge without replacing its iconic status. The app became available on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries on Wednesday and currently does not have any ads. The release of Threads was initially scheduled for Thursday morning but was pushed forward by the company. Celebrities and media outlets were among the first accounts to be active on the platform. Mark Zuckerberg himself spent the first few hours of the launch replying to new users. He also took the opportunity to take a jab at Musk, his longstanding rival. However, his ultimate goal is to create a platform with more than a billion users, which he believes Twitter has failed to achieve. In anticipation of Threads’ release, some people labeled it as a “Twitter killer” due to the expectation that users may migrate from Twitter to the new app. Twitter has faced an increase in hate speech since Musk acquired the platform. Threads is a spin-off of Instagram, which already has more than two billion users, giving the new platform a ready-made audience. Meta hopes that Threads will become the go-to communication channel for celebrities, companies, and politicians. Financial analysts believe that if Threads can attract a fraction of Instagram’s users, it could rival Twitter in size. However, Meta faces criticism, especially in Europe, due to its handling of personal data. The EU launch of Threads was delayed, but the company decided to proceed without regulatory clarity. Concerns over data privacy have also been voiced by users, especially since Threads is owned by Meta, a company known for collecting private information. Nonetheless, Threads has gained significant attention on Twitter, with users jokingly suggesting they would return to the platform. Despite the mixed reception, Threads quickly became a trending topic on Twitter in Japan.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
