Meta’s new app, Threads, may be the latest in a long-string of Twitter’s competitors, but it appears to have an edge in the game thanks to its ties to Instagram. Over 30 million users have joined.
Another day, another new app promising to replace Twitter.
The hierarchy of text-based social media platforms started looking shaky as soon as Elon Musk took over Twitter last year, and it’s only grown more unstable as he continues rolling out abrupt and unpopular changes on the platform.
That has sparked a host of challengers vying for Twitter’s beloved throne, the latest of which is Threads, which was unveiled late Wednesday by Meta, the parent company behind Facebook.
Threads already appears to have a leg up on other Twitter competitors, gaining 30 million users in less than 24 hours.
But could it go all the way, banging the final nail in Twitter’s coffin? It may not be so simple. First things first: What makes Threads similar to Twitter?
Meta is positioning Threads as a new space for people to have real-time, public conversations. And though it’s tied closely to Instagram (users need an Instagram account to sign up), the user interface looks and feels a lot like Twitter.
There are buttons to like, repost, reply to or quote a thread. The number of likes and replies on each post is displayed below its content. Accounts can be public or private.
In terms of function, the app opts for simplicity over flashy new features.
But it may be because of that fact, rather than in spite of it, that folks are flocking to Threads in droves. OK, but how is this different from Mastodon, Hive Social, Blue Sky or any of the other Twitter dupes?
There are two reasons Threads has an edge on those competitors: Data, and scale.
Meta already has more than 3 billion users across its stable of apps (which include Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp), and is making it easy for its existing users to start a new account.
After downloading the new app, existing Instagram users have the option of importing standard set-up functions, including their bio, username, profile photo and follow list.
As of midday Tuesday, more than 30 million people had taken that step to join the app, nearly 30 times the number of people who are reportedly active on Mastodon and Post.
The users include celebrities like chef Gordan Ramsay, actor Zac Efron and pop star Shakira.
