VOL 68: Threads Surpass Expectations: Reaching 100 Million Users in Just Five Days
Facebook finally launched a competitor to Twitter
It's both expected and surprising to witness Threads achieve a remarkable milestone of 100 million users within five days of its launch. This achievement establishes a groundbreaking record that no other app has accomplished before as it took several months for ChatGPT, Instagram, and TikTok to reach this milestone.
Threads launch has created competition between Meta and Twitter and has emerged as one of the most captivating rivalries in tech industry this year. In fact, some techies are already referring to Threads as the potential 'Twitter killer'.
What is Threads app for?
Threads is a text-based conversation app that functions similarly to Twitter. It was developed by Mark Zuckerberg's Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Why Meta created Threads?
“The idea is to hopefully build an open, friendly space for communities,” Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said in an interview.
The application was developed by engineers from Instagram and has garnered significant attention from numerous brands, football clubs, celebrities, journalists, and other notable figures, who have swiftly transitioned to the platform.
At first, the idea was to seamlessly integrate Threads with Instagram. However, this could not work because Instagram already had lots of scrolling features, prompting the team to conceive a fresh application named. Also, the leaders at Instagram recognized the potential to leverage the pursuit of Twitter and capitalize on it.
Is Threads like Twitter?
As an avid Twitter user myself, I couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between these two applications. They both feature newsfeeds, heart-shaped symbols for liking content, and the option to repost.
However, it's important to note that Thread has its own distinct terminology. Instead of using Twitter slang, Thread refers to retweets as 'reposts' and tweets as 'threads'.
Threads allow a single post with up to 500 characters, surpassing Twitter's limit of 280 characters for most users. Also, you can share videos up to five minutes long in your feed.
In addition to sharing posts, you have the option to share them as links on other platforms. Each post can include up to 10 images, offering a visually rich experience. You can also conveniently post directly to your Instagram story.
Social media Copycatting
Google made an attempt to rival Facebook with its app Google+, but it failed to gain traction and was eventually discontinued in 2019.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has also faced criticism for emulating competitors' products. In 2020, they introduced the 'Instagram Reels' feature, which bears striking similarities to TikTok.
Ever since Elon Musk's involvement with Twitter, several former Twitter employees have launched competing services in an effort to challenge the platform.
Conclusion
The potential monopoly of Meta in the realm of social media poses a significant concern for society. Meta's history of mishandling and unauthorized sale of user data further amplifies this worry. It's important to note that Threads availability in Europe is currently hindered due to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In addition, social media's success lies not in mere replication but in the ability to construct an engaging platform that fosters user loyalty, as perpetual reliance on virality is unsustainable.