Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has launched its new social media network Threads, which is widely seen as the most significant competition to Twitter which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
“Let’s do this,” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post welcoming users to the site. “Welcome to Threads.”
30 million users within hours
More than 30 million people have signed up on Threads, Meta’s rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
“Wow, 30 million sign ups as of this morning. Feels like the beginning of something special, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead to build out the app,” Zuckerberg wrote on his Threads account.
The number is likely to grow quickly as more Instagram users and social media fans open accounts on Threads.
Features
Threads has many similarities to Twitter, from its layout to its product description. The app’s listing highlights its ability to bring communities together to discuss a wide range of topics, from current interests to trending discussions.
“The vision for Threads is to create an option and friendly public space for conversation,” Zuckerberg said in a Threads post following the launch. “We hope to take what Instagram does best and create a new experience around text, ideas, and discussing what’s on your mind.”
- With a 500-character limit, Threads allows users to authenticate with their existing credentials in order to post short updates, including text up to 500 characters, links, photos; and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
- Threads enable users to follow their favorite creators, share ideas, opinions, and creative content, and build a loyal following.
- It is available in 100 countries on both Apple’s iOS and Android platforms.
Link with Instagram
To enhance the user experience, Threads allows users to link their Instagram profiles, customize their profiles, and follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram. While the app’s layout resembles Twitter’s, it incorporates Instagram’s aesthetics and offers the option to share posts directly to Instagram Stories. Verified Instagram accounts are automatically verified on Threads as well. Thread accounts can be listed as either public or private.
Will Threads surpass Twitter’s reach?
Zuckerberg actively engaged with posts and expressed his opinions on the possibility of Threads surpassing Twitter in size and popularity.
“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,” Zuckerberg wrote on Threads. “Hopefully we will.”
Meta-Twitter Rivalry
The rivalry between Meta and Twitter intensified, particularly with Elon Musk’s controversial takeover of Twitter. Musk, the owner of Twitter, defended the temporary tweet-reading limits, while Meta executives took a dig at Musk’s behavior.
Musk’s impact on Twitter resulted in alienated advertisers and prominent users, prompting him to seek ways to revive the platform. Twitter also made efforts to compete with Meta by introducing encrypted messaging and upcoming call features, challenging Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
The rivalry further escalated, with both Musk and Zuckerberg exchanging jabs on social media. Musk expressed skepticism about Threads and Zuckerberg’s control, while Zuckerberg responded with a challenge.