Instagram Threads, a new app developed by Meta Company, has officially been launched. This puts an end to the months of rumours and speculation surrounding the arrival of the app. The app which was unveiled on Wednesday, July 5 was pitched as a “friendly” rival to Twitter, which was bought by Billionaire Elon Musk in October 2022. The launch of Threads app comes as Twitter imposes more restrictions on users, including a temporary rate limit barring unverified users from viewing more than 600 posts per day (or 300 posts for “new unverified” accounts). Tech experts have predicted that Threads could easily attract Twitter users who are unhappy with recent changes to the platform.
Meta describes Threads as a fresh, distinct space designed for real-time updates and public conversations. The app aims to leverage the strengths of Instagram while expanding into the realm of text-based communication. By doing so, the app developers aim to foster a positive and creative environment where users can freely express their ideas.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta’s parent company, Facebook, more than 10 million people signed up for Threads within just a few hours of its launch. This early response indicates a strong initial interest and suggests a promising future for the platform.
Let’s dive into Threads and explore how this app works and what it offers.
How Does Threads App Work?
Threads is designed to be a platform where individuals can engage in real-time, public conversations with one another. It serves as a valuable extension to Instagram, which holds a significant position within Meta’s family of products. The primary objective behind Threads is to create a welcoming and open space for various communities to interact. While sharing his insights on the launch of the app, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, acknowledged Twitter’s pioneering role in this domain. He further emphasized the unique opportunity they saw to create a platform that is open and beneficial for the existing Instagram community.
Threads is tightly integrated with Instagram, at least for now, as users are required to have an Instagram account to sign up. In addition, a user’s Threads username must align with their Instagram handle. Users have the option to import their Instagram followers list directly into Threads. This helps to facilitate a seamless transition between the two platforms. Also, verified users on Instagram will also receive verification badges on the Threads app. To maintain privacy, users can choose to set their Threads account as either private or public.
Posts Sharing And Interactions
Threads allows users to share posts between the app and Instagram, fostering a cohesive experience. These posts can include various forms of media, such as links, photos, and videos up to five minutes long. You can also create text-based posts, allowing up to 500 characters to capture your thoughts. When it comes to the user interface, Threads bears some resemblance to Twitter but with a clean and minimalistic design.
Within the app, users will encounter a feed of posts referred to as “threads” by Meta. This feed consists of content from people they follow, along with recommended content. You’ll also find familiar options like liking, commenting, reposting, and sharing threads, making it convenient to engage with the content you come across. Users can also save images on Threads. To do this, ‘long press’ the image, you will then see an option to ‘save image’.
Furthermore, users have the ability to unfollow, block, restrict, or report other profiles on Threads. Notably, any accounts blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads as well.
Privacy and Regulatory Concerns
In a move that prioritizes user privacy, Meta is bringing over some of the privacy controls from Instagram to Threads. This means you have the power to filter out replies that contain specific words. You can also exercise control over who can mention you, allowing you to create a more tailored and comfortable experience.
In addition, Threads offers control over who can engage with your threads. You can choose from various options, such as allowing replies from everyone on the platform, only people you follow, or exclusively the users you mention in your post. This ensures that you have the final say in shaping the conversations and interactions within your Threads experience.
While these privacy features are available on Threads, concerns and inquiries have risen regarding the process of deleting an account. While addressing this in one of his posts, Adam Mosseri clarified that users have options to manage their Threads account without affecting their Instagram presence. Mosseri noted that “you can deactivate your Threads account, which hides your Threads profile, and content. You can set your profile to private, and you can delete individual threads posts – all without deleting your Instagram account.” He, however, added that “Threads is powered by Instagram, so right now it’s just one account. But we’re looking into a way to delete your Threads account separately.”
Threads is currently available to download in over 100 countries including the United Kingdom. However, the availability of the app in the European Union [EU] is currently on hold due to regulatory concerns. The primary reason for this delay revolves around uncertainties stemming from the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The Act sets guidelines for data sharing between major companies like Meta, particularly regarding platforms they own. While EU availability remains pending, Meta assures users that they are actively exploring options to launch Threads in the EU market.
Hope For The Future
While there are a few alternatives to Twitter, like Bluesky, Substack Notes, Mastodon, and Truth Social amongst others, they haven’t quite managed to gain widespread popularity. This is where Threads holds a unique advantage. Being closely linked to Instagram, with its massive user base, Threads has a head start in terms of reaching a large audience.
When questioned about the potential of Threads to surpass Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg expressed his thoughts, stating, “It will take some time, but I think there should be a public conversation app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully, we will.”
