In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, Instagram Threads has emerged as a formidable contender to take on Twitter. Unlike other competitors who start from scratch, Threads leverages Instagram’s massive user base of 10 billion, which has played a significant role in its rapid growth and success. With over 5 million users already, Threads has outperformed other platforms like ChatGPT, which took five days to reach 1 million users. So, what sets threads apart? Let’s delve into the details.
What are Instagram threads?
Threads is a spin-off app from Instagram that focuses on conversations rather than visual content. By logging in with your Instagram account, you can share text updates, participate in public discussions, and engage with features reminiscent of Twitter, such as replying and re-sharing posts. The app’s design resembles the Instagram comment section while offering additional capabilities like creating posts with up to 500 characters (surpassing Twitter’s limit of 280), sharing links, up to 10 photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long.
Notably, Threads does not employ hashtags or incorporate a trending section, distinguishing it from Twitter.
How do I join Instagram threads?
One of the primary factors contributing to Instagram Threads’ initial success is its streamlined sign-up process. Instead of starting from scratch like other Twitter competitors, Threads taps into Instagram’s existing user base. By simply downloading the app from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store and selecting the “Log in with Instagram” option, users can effortlessly import their Instagram account details, including the bio.
Upon joining threads, users receive an ID based on their rank, which signifies when they joined the app. This ID appears as a badge under their name or username on their Instagram profile, informing their followers of their thread usage. Additionally, users under 18 receive a default private profile.
Using Instagram Threads
If you’re familiar with Twitter, using threads will feel intuitive. If you’ve imported your followers from Instagram, you’ll recognize many of them in your Threads feed. You can engage with these posts or create your own by tapping the pencil icon on the bottom navigation bar. Numerous popular Instagram accounts, such as The Jobs Innovators, are already active on the platform, making it easy to find and follow them.
How do Instagram threads compare to Twitter?
While Instagram Threads remains a minimalist app with limited features, it boasts a significant advantage over Twitter—the backing of Instagram’s substantial user base. Coupled with growing dissatisfaction surrounding Elon Musk’s Twitter leadership, Threads offers a winning formula.
Although other Twitter alternatives like Bluesky (supported by Jack Dorsey), Mastodon (known as the “anti-Twitter”), and Substack Notes have emerged since Musk’s acquisition, they face the challenge of building their user bases from scratch. Consequently, these platforms can feel empty and unappealing to users accustomed to the lively nature of Twitter. Additionally, the ease of use plays a crucial role in attracting users to new social media platforms, with Mastodon often regarded as too technical for the average user.
Privacy Concerns with Instagram Threads
Despite its success, Instagram Threads raises some privacy concerns. The app’s listing on the App Store reveals an extensive list of permissions required, including access to “Financial Info” and “Sensitive Info.” Entrusting such information to an app developed by Meta (formerly Facebook), a company with a history of scandals and controversies, raises valid privacy considerations.
Threads’ History
Instagram Threads may sound familiar to some Instagram enthusiasts because it shares its name with a previous app released by the same company in 2019. Initially, Threads served as a “camera-first” messaging app, enabling users to share status updates and chat with their “close friends.” However, the app was discontinued in December 2021. Threads has been reintroduced as a new app aiming to rival Twitter.
In June, Meta’s product chief, Chris Cox, shared his vision for Threads. He sees Threads as a secure, user-friendly, and reliable platform that will provide creators with a stable home to build and grow their audiences. Meta plans to make Threads compatible with Activity Pub, a universal protocol for social networking established by the W3C. This compatibility would allow Threads to interact with other apps that support Activity Pub, such as Mastodon and WordPress. This would facilitate new connections that are not possible on most social apps today.
