In a brilliant move by Meta, their new Threads app saw millions of users flocking to it just hours after its launch. This surge in popularity can be attributed to the weakened state of rival platform Twitter, caused by a series of chaotic decisions made by its owner, Elon Musk. Notable names like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Democratic US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were among the early adopters of Threads.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, welcomed users to Threads with enthusiasm, declaring, “Let’s do this,” accompanied by a fire emoji. Within seven hours, the app recorded an impressive 10 million sign-ups. Zuckerberg also took to Twitter to tease the rivalry between Meta and Musk, using a meme featuring Spiderman. The integration of Threads with Instagram provides the new app with a pre-existing user base and advertising capabilities, which could potentially divert ad revenue from Twitter during its current struggle to revive its business.
Analysts have hailed Threads as a potential “Twitter-Killer,” causing excitement among investors. Meanwhile, others view the app’s launch as an opportunity to shape a less toxic version of Twitter. Public figures like Ocasio-Cortez expressed their hopes for a platform with good vibes, a strong community, excellent humor, and reduced harassment.
Similar to Twitter, Threads features short text posts that can be liked, shared, and replied to. However, it lacks direct messaging capabilities. Each post can contain up to 500 characters, as well as links, photos, and videos up to five minutes long. Currently available in over 100 countries on both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, Threads has generated positive investor response, with Meta’s stock closing up 3% on the day of its launch.
Threads arrives during a period when Twitter is vulnerable, as Zuckerberg and Musk have engaged in public feuds for months. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter last year for $44 billion has resulted in a decrease in its value due to staff reductions and controversies surrounding content moderation, alienating both users and advertisers. In a dig at Twitter’s shortcomings, Zuckerberg expressed his desire for a public conversations app with over a billion users.
The Instagram integration into Threads emphasizes the importance of privacy considerations. Users who sign up for Threads automatically receive a badge on their Instagram profile, but they have the option to hide it. The app offers different privacy settings for each platform. Notably, there were no visible ads on the app at the time of a Reuters review.
To bolster Threads, Meta has been actively engaging social media influencers to attract them to the new platform and encouraging them to post at least twice a day. This strategic move takes advantage of the failures of other Twitter competitors, such as Mastodon, Post, Truth Social, and T2, which have struggled to lure users away. Although Dorsey-backed Bluesky has gained traction with 50,000 users, Meta has experienced setbacks in the past with its attempts to launch similar apps.
In response to a user predicting Twitter’s demise shortly after the Threads launch, Zuckerberg advised patience, suggesting that it’s only the beginning of a long battle. With the ongoing rivalry between Zuckerberg and Musk, who knows, we might witness a showdown between the two tech giants in the Roman Colosseum!
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