Threads, the social media app developed by Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has achieved a remarkable milestone by attracting over 100 million users in less than five days. This achievement surpasses the previous record set by Open AI’s ChatGPT app.
The platform was launched globally on Apple and Android app stores across 100 countries, including the United Kingdom, last Wednesday. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, expressed his astonishment at the rapid pace at which the milestone was reached.
However, Threads has faced some obstacles along the way. Notably, the app is currently unavailable in mainland Europe due to uncertainties surrounding its compliance with European Union data privacy legislation.
It is evident that Threads has garnered significant attention and interest from users, demonstrating its potential to rival established platforms like Twitter.
EU’s industry commissioner, Thierry Breton, has made his first public comments on the Threads situation, stating that “taking a little time to do so seems to me to be probably good policy.” These remarks were made during an interview with French radio station Franceinfo.
Although Threads has encountered challenges with EU data privacy legislation, it has experienced rapid growth.
Meta, the parent company of Threads and Facebook, reported that the app garnered 10 million users within the first seven hours of its launch, surpassing 30 million users by Thursday morning. Within approximately 24 hours, this number had more than doubled.
However, Threads still has a significant gap to close in order to catch up with its main competitor, Twitter. With 100 million users, Threads currently represents less than a third of Twitter’s estimated 350 million user base.
Some Twitter users have expressed disillusionment since billionaire Elon Musk assumed ownership of the platform. Under his leadership, the company has undergone significant job cuts, and Musk has introduced various changes aimed at generating revenue.
Threads, Meta’s response to Twitter, garnered an impressive five million sign-ups within just four hours after its launch, as stated by Mark Zuckerberg. With such a substantial user base, what can we expect from the platform?
Threads operates by allowing users to sign up using their Instagram login credentials. As they join, they will automatically be able to follow all the accounts they already follow on Instagram.
The platform enables users to share posts consisting of up to 500 characters, including images, gifs, and videos that can be up to five minutes in length. It bears similarities to Twitter, featuring short text-based content, options for likes and reposts, and the ability to quote a thread, similar to quote tweeting.
Based on its initial reception and features, Threads has the potential to become a significant player in the social media landscape. Its integration with Instagram and the familiar functionalities it offers may attract a considerable user base, facilitating engaging conversations, content sharing, and interactions within the platform.
Threads, since its launch, has faced criticism regarding its content display. Users have reported a mix of posts from the accounts they follow along with posts from random accounts.
Meta has acknowledged that this mixture is a combination of followed accounts and algorithmic recommendations. Presently, there is no option to view posts exclusively from the people users follow, and it remains uncertain whether Meta will introduce this feature in the future.
Additionally, at the moment, Threads does not offer a direct messaging feature, which might be a relief for some users who prefer to focus on public posts rather than engaging in private conversations.
To maintain a more personal Instagram experience, users can keep their Instagram account private while having a public presence on Threads. However, for users under 16, both Instagram and Threads accounts are private by default.
Users have the flexibility to make their Threads account private at any time and have control over who can reply to their posts.
At present, there are no plans to introduce a desktop version of Threads. The platform is accessible solely through the iOS and Android apps. Meta has not provided a timeline for the potential release of a desktop version.
Regarding monetization, Meta has confirmed that Threads will not be monetized in the current year. However, the door is open for potential advertisements in the future.
For convenience, users can log in to Threads using their Instagram credentials, and their existing Instagram username will be retained. This is reassuring for users concerned about the possibility of someone else claiming their username.
Meta wants the app to be similar to rivals like Mastodon, and be decentralised and allow users to transfer accounts to other platforms.
The company is working to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub which allows social networks to be interoperable and would let users of Threads take their accounts and followers to other ActivityPub-supported apps.
It’ll be stricter than Twitter around things like nudity, and will enforce content rules around hate speech that Twitter has been lacking in since Elon Musk took over.
According to sources from Meta, the delay in launching Threads in the European Union (EU) is attributed to regulatory considerations and concerns regarding compliance with stringent EU data privacy regulations.
Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the extensive range of personal information that Threads can collect, as indicated by its data privacy disclosure on the App Store. This includes health data, financial information, contact details, browsing and search history, location data, purchases, and “sensitive info.” These concerns have contributed to apprehensions about the app’s compliance with EU data privacy rules.
The EU places significant emphasis on protecting individuals’ privacy rights, and any app or service operating within its jurisdiction must adhere to strict data privacy regulations.
Twitter is reportedly contemplating taking legal action against Meta, the company behind Threads, a fast-growing rival app to Twitter.
Threads, which was recently launched to a substantial user base, offers similar features and has been positioned by Meta as a “friendly” alternative to Twitter.
Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, expressed his opinion on the matter, stating that competition is acceptable, but cheating is not. However, Meta has denied allegations made in a legal letter claiming that former Twitter employees were involved in the creation of Threads.
Meta has reported that over 30 million people have already signed up for the new app. While this is a significant number, it represents less than one-tenth of Twitter’s estimated 350 million user base, as per Statista.
It is important to note that US copyright law does not safeguard ideas, meaning Twitter would need to demonstrate in court that its intellectual property, such as programming code, was unlawfully used.
Additionally, Meta holds a patent granted in 2012 for the concept of “communicating a newsfeed,” the system used to display the latest posts on platforms like Facebook.
The potential legal action between Twitter and Meta highlights the competitive dynamics in the social media landscape and the challenges surrounding intellectual property rights within the industry.
Both Mr Musk and Mr Zuckerberg have acknowledged the rivalry over Threads, which is linked to Instagram but works as a standalone app.
As it launched in 100 countries, Mr Zuckerberg broke more than 11 years of silence on Twitter to post a highly popular meme of two nearly identical Spider-Man figures pointing at each other, indicating a stand-off.
Shortly after, and as the word “Threads” trended globally on his platform, Mr Musk said: “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”
