Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, revealed Threads, a new app that would compete with Twitter for real-time digital interactions. Mark Zuckerberg has long wished to dethrone Twitter and become the focal point of online public discourse. Nonetheless, Twitter has shown to be indispensable. Mr. Zuckerberg is undeterred.
On Monday, his business, Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, teased a new app that directly competes with Twitter.
Meta’s response to Twitter, Threads, will start on Thursday, precisely as users of Elon Musk’s network seek alternatives in droves. The Threads app, linked to Instagram, debuted in the Apple app store on Tuesday, before its official launch on Thursday. Meta has set up a release countdown website.
Picture by : threads.net
The app appears to work similarly to Twitter, emphasizing public dialogues and allowing users to follow people they currently follow on Instagram. Threads, a “text-based conversation” app, will be a place “where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow,” according to a preview.
According to the advertising wording, “Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things – or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world.”
Based on the screenshots, it appears that users will have the option to utilize their Instagram handle to log into Threads and connect with their current contacts. The program appears to have a similar user interface to Twitter, including features such as reposting, liking, and the ability to limit who can comment on messages.
Threads is a suitable name for a Twitter competitor, but it was the name of a 2019 app Meta developed to compete with the youth-focused messaging service Snapchat. Although the product was eventually discontinued, Meta decided to retain the branding associated with Threads.
Picture by: CNBC
A Meta representative said the business had no comment on the upcoming launch.
Meta is set to join a growing lineup of platforms such as Blue Sky and Mastodon, which have been vying to replace Twitter since Musk assumed control towards the end of last year. This move comes in response to Twitter becoming increasingly inaccessible for its approximately 250 million users.
Twitter started requiring users to log in to browse the site last week; previously, anyone without Twitter profile could view tweets. It subsequently slapped a cap on the vast majority of non-paying users, limiting unverified accounts to viewing 600 tweets every day, which was eventually increased to 1,000. On Tuesday, the firm stated that its list-based Tweet deck platform, which is largely used by corporations and news organizations, would be available only to Twitter Blue subscribers.
Musk’s moderating decisions, including lifting prohibitions on far-right accounts, as well as the site’s rising instability, have turned off advertisers, who have suspended or decreased investment in recent months. BlueSky had to temporarily halt new sign-ups, which are currently only available by invitation, in order to meet demand following the pricing limit modification.
As per The Verge, Meta’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, revealed in a company-wide meeting that there is a significant demand among creators and public figures for a Twitter alternative that is “properly managed.”
Picture by: theguardian
Privacy is one aspect that may cause users to reconsider joining Meta’s Twitter substitute. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who is presently working on BlueSky, tweeted a screenshot of the Threads app’s privacy policy with the comment “All your Threads belong to us.” The Threads application has the capability to gather various types of data, including health-related information, financial details, contact details, browsing history, location, and purchase records.
BlueSky, on the other hand, may link contact information, user content, and identifiers. Twitter claims to be able to track users based on their purchases, contact information, location, contacts, and browsing history.
For years, Facebook and Twitter have competed to capture real-time online discourse. Mr. Zuckerberg attempted to buy Twitter in its early days but was turned down. Prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Facebook made a concerted effort to highlight its live products and hot topics at political events and on television.
Mr. Zuckerberg has now concentrated efforts on live-streaming video — an area that Twitter has also pursued — and trending hashtags to allow users to investigate subjects that have gone big across Facebook and Instagram.
According to Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship sports brand, the two guys are considering the prospect of sparring in a mixed martial arts battle. Though no date has been set, the tech billionaires have privately stated their willingness to fight each other to Mr. White, and the contours of an event are taking shape.
