Meta Launches Threads App, 10 Million Users Sign Up In Just 7 Hours

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, made an entrance into the social media landscape with the launch of Threads, its Twitter rival.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the app garnered an impressive five million sign-ups within the first four hours of its operation. Threads offers users longer posts compared to Twitter, and it bears a striking resemblance to its competitor in terms of visual design and interface.

Originally slated for release at midnight in the UK and 7 pm EDT in the US, Meta decided to bring forward the app's debut by 15 hours. Threads became freely available in 100 countries through the Apple and Google app stores. However, due to regulatory concerns, the app will not be available in the European Union, as per a report in The Guardian

Shortly after the launch, prominent brands such as Billboard, HBO, NPR, and Netflix swiftly set up accounts on the platform.

Signing Up On Threads App

To access Threads, users must have an Instagram account to log in. Once registered, users have the option to follow the same accounts they follow on Instagram, provided those accounts have also joined Threads.

Visually, Threads closely resembles Twitter, albeit with some terminological changes. For instance, retweets are referred to as "reposts," and tweets are known as "threads." Meta has a history of borrowing features from its competitors, as demonstrated by the launch of Instagram's Reels, which bears a striking similarity to TikTok's short-form videos.

Threads allows users to create posts of up to 500 characters, compared to Twitter's 280-character limit for most users. Additionally, users can share videos up to five minutes in length, and posts can be shared as links on other platforms. The app provides various features for user control, including the ability to unfollow, block, restrict, or report other users. Users can also filter out replies containing specific words.

'Engaging Public Conversations'

The launch of Threads follows a tumultuous period for Twitter, which recently implemented tweet viewing limits in response to concerns over data harvesting by companies involved in building artificial intelligence models.

In subsequent posts on Threads, Zuckerberg addressed the challenges faced by Twitter and expressed his belief in the need for a public conversation app with a user base exceeding one billion people. He acknowledged Twitter's opportunity to achieve this but noted that the company has yet to fully realize its potential. With the launch of Threads, Zuckerberg hopes to fill this gap and create a platform that meets users' expectations for engaging public conversations.

The response to Threads' debut on Wednesday was met with a range of reactions, from cautious optimism to enthusiasm. Many praised the app for its' user-friendly interface, while some speculated that Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter's rival platform, should be concerned about the competition. Others highlighted the rapid integration of Threads with Instagram as a testament to the power of Meta as a company. Ironically, much of the discussion surrounding Threads took place on Twitter, with the hashtag "Threads" trending on Wednesday evening.

News of Zuckerberg's impending unveiling of Threads even sparked a playful exchange between him and Elon Musk, with the two jokingly agreeing to a future cage fight over the matter, although no date has been set for this unlikely confrontation.

Meta describes Threads as a "new, separate space for real-time updates and public conversations" and aims to take the best aspects of Instagram and expand them to include text-based content, fostering a positive and creative environment for expressing ideas. While Twitter boasts a user base of over 250 million, Instagram reportedly has around 2 billion users.

It further stated that Threads would also resemble Twitter's rivals, such as Mastodon, which is built on a decentralized platform allowing users to transfer their accounts to other services.

The launch of Threads by Meta follows a period of intense criticism directed at the company over its business practices. Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen made headlines last year by accusing the company of prioritizing profits over user safety and raising concerns about the platform's moderation policies.

While there are existing alternatives to Twitter such as Bluesky and Mastodon, these platforms have struggled to gain widespread popularity and compete effectively with the established social media giants. The entry of Threads into the market provides users with yet another option for engaging in public conversations and expressing their thoughts online.

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