Meta’s new app Threads, which aims to offer a space for real-time conversations online, has received a huge response on its first day of launch, as users look for alternatives to Twitter, which has been facing backlash and criticism since its takeover by Elon Musk.
Threads, which is linked to Instagram, allows users to follow and connect with their favorite creators and communities, or build their own following to share their ideas and opinions. The app has a 500 character limit for messages, and features similar to Twitter, such as reposting, liking, and limiting replies. Users can log in to Threads using their Instagram handle and follow their existing contacts.
According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads has surged to 10 million users on its first day, surpassing his expectations. He said Threads was designed to be a conversation-first text platform with big ambitions. He also took a swipe at Musk’s Twitter, saying that Threads was “sanely run” and did not impose any restrictions or limits on its users.
Twitter, on the other hand, has been struggling to retain its users and advertisers since Musk acquired the platform in October 2020. Musk has turned Twitter upside down, alienating some of its highest-profile users, such as US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted that her account on Threads was “bricked” after being on the app for just “5 minutes” on the day of the launch. He has also imposed temporary limits on how many tweets users can view while using the app, citing “extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation”. Users who do not pay for Twitter Blue are restricted to viewing 1,000 tweets a day. In addition, Twitter announced that users would soon need to pay for TweetDeck, a tool that allows people to organize and monitor the accounts they follow.
Many users have expressed their frustration and dissatisfaction with Twitter’s changes, and have started to migrate to other platforms, such as BlueSky, Mastodon, and now Threads. Some users have also accused Musk of sabotaging the platform and undermining its role in social and political discourse. Musk has defended his actions, saying that he was trying to make Twitter more sustainable and innovative.