The newly released Threads program from Meta, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, seeks to surpass Twitter.

According to experts, Twitter users dissatisfied with recent platform changes may flock to Threads. Users of Threads, which is currently not available in the European Union, can post up to 500 characters, and it has several Twitter-like features.

According to Mr. Zuckerberg, the app had five million sign-ups in the first four hours. He previously stated that the platform’s viability ultimately depends on how “friendly” it can be kept.

Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Twitter, retaliated, saying: “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter than to indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”

Mr. Zuckerberg responded to a question on Threads about whether the platform will be “larger than Twitter” by saying, “I think there should be a public discussions app with 1 billion+ people on it.

Twitter has had the chance to achieve this, but it hasn’t succeeded. I think we will.

The potential data use of the app has drawn criticism from rivals. According to the Apple App Store, this might include browsing, health, and financial information connected to users’ identities. Over a hundred nations, including the UK, now provide Threads for download, although the EU has not yet done so because of regulatory issues.

Takeaways:

• The Instagram team recently released Threads, a new app for joining online discussions and sending text updates.
• Posts can be up to 500 characters long, contain links, images, and videos up to five minutes long, and you log in using your Instagram account.
• We’re striving to make Threads compatible with the free, open-source social networks that have the potential to influence how the internet develops in the future.

Initial version

The new software was described as an “initial version” by Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, and other features, such as the ability to connect with users of other social media platforms like Mastodon, are planned. Prior to the app’s release, the company stated that its goal with Threads was to extend what Instagram does best to text.

Users sign in to Threads using an Instagram account even though it is a separate application. They can modify their profile to be unique to Threads while keeping their Instagram username. According to Meta, users can decide to follow the same accounts they do on Instagram. Users using the app can choose to be public on Threads but private on Instagram.

After Meta’s business methods were criticized, the new app was released. Frances Haugen, a whistleblower for Meta, slammed the platform’s moderation last year and claimed the firm had prioritized money before safety.

The corporation was also rocked by a controversy in which it gave third parties access to Facebook user data, notably the British political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Mr. Musk made the quip “Thank goodness they’re so sanely run” on Monday, seemingly alluding to this contentious past.

There are a number of Twitter alternatives, including Bluesky and Mastodon, although these have had trouble gaining popularity. Due to its connection to Instagram and the hundreds of millions of existing users on that network, Threads has a big edge.

How does Threads work?

Posts on Threads can be shared to Instagram and vice versa and may contain links, images, and five-minute videos. However, several early Wednesday users reported issues with image uploading, suggesting that there may be teething issues.

Users receive recommended content as well as a stream of “threads”—as Meta refers to posts—from users they follow. They can limit who is allowed to “mention” them and block comments that contain certain words. Other profiles can also be unfollowed, blocked, restricted, or reported, and any accounts users block on Instagram are instantly blocked on Threads.

While media attention has centered on Meta’s connections to Instagram, some investors have called the program a “Twitter killer” due to its resemblance to Twitter.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, limited the number of tweets that users could view on his network each day on Saturday, citing extreme ‘data scraping’. The latest attempt by Mr. Musk to persuade users to subscribe to Twitter Blue, the platform’s subscription service.

Additionally, TweetDeck, a well-known user dashboard, will become pay-only in 30 days, according to the company’s announcement. Since Mr. Musk assumed control, many Twitter users have publicly voiced their displeasure with the service and his leadership, citing his unpredictable behavior and political stances.

In a cage fight last month, Mr. Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg agreed—possibly in jest—and Mr. Zuckerberg had already acknowledged his passion for mixed martial arts in earlier posts on Threads.

Despite Threads’ availability in the UK, regulatory ambiguity, notably in relation to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, has prevented its release in the EU. However, the business claims that it is considering expanding within the EU.  This law establishes guidelines for data sharing amongst the platforms that big businesses like Meta possess. Part of the problem is the data exchange between Instagram and Threads. According to Meta, maintaining customer privacy is essential to its operations.

Check the Difference Between Threads and Twitter