Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk’s companies are battling it out virtually. The social media giants are locked in virtual space as they give their followers reasons to follow! Here;s 5 things to know about Twitter’s rival and the latest online buzz – Threads!
There has been much buzz about a possible Musk – Zuckerberg cage fight. Social media has been on the lookout for a confirmation from the two tech giants about their billionaire brawl. Was it just another charged up rumor mill? Or was it a move to foreshadow their real battle yet to be seen – The battle of the two social media properties!
While Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk might still be going for a cage fight, as of today, their two companies have officially begun their battle. Meta just launched Threads – a globally trending app, built by the Instagram team at Meta. It is for sharing text updates and joining public conversations. “You log in using your Instagram account and posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.” Threads offers a new, separate space for real-time updates and public conversations.
1. What Gave Meta The Hope
According to the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, Twitter’s “volatility” and “unpredictability” under Musk’s leadership has provided an opening to compete with the now semi destabilised app and team at twitter (There have been mass resignations and employee uproar at Twitter) In an interview, Mosseri says that Threads is designed for “public conversations,” a direct reference to how Twitter has been described by top users over the years.
Even the Application’s name itself seems to have been taken/inspired from its rival’s said features: Twitter “threads”, ring a bell guys?
Though Meta also prudently understands some or much semblance of power Twitter still holds and that to dismantle its competitor wont be so easy even if trivialised by Elon Musk’s antics. The community the app has built is vast, vibrant and powerful. With ordinary citizens, celebrities, government representatives and even leaders/heads of states and royals. It would take more than just some buzz to take twitter down.
2. Thread’s Vision
The vision the team at Threads has conveyed is to take what Instagram does best and convert that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas. The makers say you can share your ideas and trends through text and connect through conversations.
Just like on Instagram, with Threads you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests. Meta has said they built Threads with its existing suite of safety and user controls and tolls that will enable positive, productive conversations.
3. User Experience
It’s easy to get started with Threads: simply use your Instagram account to log in. You can create/customise a new bio, profile picture and username specifically for Threads or you can let the app carry over Your Instagram username and verification. The interface at first glance and beyond is strikingly similar to Twitter’s. You can heart a tweet, create a thread (duh), your profile page, the search bar and basically if you are half asleep you wont even realise it’s not twitter – that’s how similar it is!
Upon downloading and signing up on the app, in just a bit you are inundated with all your contacts from instagram following you. So you wont feel like you will have to start or create your network all over again. Threads users who are under 16 or 18 in some countries will automatically be given a private profile when they join Threads.
It’s Twitter but with a touch of Gen Z! Does it make sense? No? Let us break it down…Most Gen Z don’t relate to Twitter but the hype Threads is gaining has already got Gen Z on the bandwagon – something that connects straight to the app of their choice and not make them feel like they are missing out.
Though, a fair warning – once you create your account, you can’t delete it. To delete the Threads account you will basically have to delete the Instagram account it is connected to. Hmm, this leaves us in a dilemma…?
However, safe choice, you CAN deactivate the Threads profile at anytime. Some choices are not all yours, but then, perhaps that comes with the Threads playing field!
4. Integrated With Your Instagram Account
The App is directly linked to your Instagram account, perhaps we can even call it an extension of your Instagram account. You can control who can mention you or reply to you, just like Instagram you can unfollow, block, restrict or report profiles and apparently any accounts you have blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads.
“We have a community that is interested. You can bring your identity from Instagram over to Threads. You can bring all the accounts you follow over Threads with you. The two apps are interconnected and can promote each other and help each other. But it is sufficiently a different use case — public conversation — than visual sharing, which is obviously our bread and butter, that I’m hoping it’s the right balance.”
Adam Mosseri, Instagram Head
5. It Has Hit 10 Million Sign Ups In Just 7 Hours!
Following its launch on Wednesday Zuckerberg used his own Threads account to post how it had signed up 10 million users in the first seven hours. On that Mosseri posted, it’s easy to get 10 million to sign up but it’s hard to get them to keep using it.
However, potential users in the EU will have to unfortunately wait it out. Due to the uncertainty around new data privacy regulations in the bloc the App wont be launching there for now. The App has gone live in 100 countries (and yes Pakistan is on that list)
Celebrities Who Have Joined Threads Already
Celebrities and world leaders are flocking to the App and have already made their presence known. Hollywood, Bollywood, musicians, sports persons, business men and politicians are now Thread users.
Celebs already spotted on the app include including Shakira, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez, Zayn Malik, Diljit Dosanjh, Kajol. Our Pakistani stars: Saba Qamar, Hania Amir, Farhan Saeed and even Ex PM Imran Khan. Oof, in short almost everyone!
Have you jumped on the Threads band wagon? Or you are a Twitter loyalist and wish to remain one? Let us know!
