Threads, the social media app developed by Meta to rival Twitter, has achieved an impressive milestone by signing up over 100 million users in less than five days. This remarkable feat surpasses the record set by Open AI’s ChatGPT app. Launched globally on Apple and Android app stores, Threads has gained significant traction worldwide.
Rapid Growth and Mark Zuckerberg’s Reaction
Within seven hours of its launch, Threads garnered an astounding 10 million users. By Thursday morning, that number had already exceeded 30 million. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his astonishment at how quickly this milestone was reached.
EU Data Privacy Compliance Concerns
While Threads has experienced rapid growth internationally, it is not yet available in mainland Europe due to uncertainties surrounding its compliance with EU data privacy legislation. The EU’s industry commissioner Thierry Breton emphasized the importance of taking time to ensure compliance with regulations.
Challenging Twitter’s Dominance
Despite its success, Threads still has a long way to go before catching up with Twitter’s massive user base of around 350 million individuals. Some disillusioned Twitter users have sought alternatives since billionaire Elon Musk took over the platform and implemented changes aimed at generating revenue while reducing costs through job cuts.
Leveraging Instagram Integration
One key advantage for Threads is its integration with Instagram which boasts more than one billion users globally. When signing up for Threads, individuals can display a link to their profile within the app on their Instagram profiles; however, there is also an option to hide this link if desired.
It is important to note that having an active Instagram account is necessary for creating a Threads profile. Deleting your Profile from threads will require deleting your associated Instagram account as well; however deactivating your threads profile will not deactivate your entire Instagram account according to Meta.
Legal Controversy Surrounding Thread’s Creation
Since the launch of Threads, Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta. Twitter’s lawyer accused Mark Zuckerberg and Meta of unlawfully misappropriating trade secrets and other intellectual property from Twitter to develop Threads. Specifically, they claimed that Meta had hired former employees who had access to confidential information from Twitter. These allegations have been denied by Meta.
Features and Content Guidelines
Threads allows users to post text content with a limit of 500 characters, surpassing the 280-character limit on Twitter. Both platforms support posting links, images, and videos; however, there are differences in the rules governing content. Notably, nudity and explicit NSFW (not-safe-for-work) images are prohibited on Threads.
It is worth mentioning that as of now, Threads does not have a desktop version available unlike its rival platform -Twitter.
Conclusion
Threads’ rapid growth within such a short timeframe indicates its potential as a viable competitor to established social media platforms like Twitter. With an integrated user base from Instagram and unique features distinguishing it from competitors, Threads presents an interesting alternative for users seeking a fresh social media experience. However, ongoing legal disputes between Meta and Twitter may impact the future trajectory of this promising app.
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