Meta announce the Threads app on 6th July 2023. The Threads app is built by the team at Instagram and allows users to share text updates and join public conversations. Given its user interface and features, it is easy to deduce that the app aims to compete against Twitter.
While similarities as well as the differences between Twitter and Threads are being discussed widely.
The policy and terms and uses of the apps and the amount of restrictions impose on users or its lack thereof, is also notable.
Mark Zuckerberg’s new microblogging platform Threads has taken the internet by storm with over 100 million sign-ups in a matter of a few days. Design and develop by the Instagram team, Threads has a distinctive yet familiar user interface that resembles Twitter.
As the Twitter alternative, Threads has many features similar to Twitter.
But, being a new player, Threads does miss out on many key features when compare to Twitter, as the most popular microblogging platform in the world.
What is Threads?
Threads have introduce as a social media site for publishing short text updates of up to 500 characters, which can include photos and links.
You can also upload a video of up to 5 minutes on their post.
As per Meta, an existing Instagram account can be use to log in to the app, and users can “easily share a Threads post to your Instagram story, or share your post as a link on any other platform you choose.”
Posts from individuals and profiles that users follow on Instagram or Threads will appear on the home feed, as will the recommendations for new content, just like Instagram.
Just like Twitter, Threads users are also allow to filter particular words from their feed and limit who is permit to mention them in a post and/or comments.
The app is available for free download on both Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for iOS and Android users.
How does Threads work?
User must have an Instagram account, since users are ask to log in to the newly-launch platform using their Instagram credentials.
Their Instagram username will be carried over once the Threads account is set up, but users will be able to personalise their profile.
Users will quite seamlessly be able to follow the same accounts they presently follow on Instagram rather than starting all over from scratch.
When users update a post or “Thread,” they are allow the option to choose who can see it, which varies between all Threads users or only their followers.
As is a staple in most popular social media platforms, users have the ability to unfollow, report, block, or restrict an account.
Instagram and Threads are so closely integrate, which means that any block Instagram accounts will automatically be block on Threads when use through the three dots drop-down options.
The Threads app also supports a screen reader and AI-generated visual descriptions.
Meta adds that it is trying to make Threads compatible with and integrate with other apps that accept the ActivityPub protocol, like WordPress and Mastodon.
As Meta claim that they are slowly working to allow users to use Threads app independently, regardless of whether they have an Instagram account or not.
Hashtag is how a topic trend on Twitter and Threads is currently missing this most peculiar microblogging feature.
Meta’s other social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have had hashtag support for many years, and Threads is likely to get the same in the coming days.
Web Version
Twitter can be access on any web browser.
Threads is currently limited to app-only experience.
And there is an official website, Threads.net, it just redirects users to download the Android or iOS version of Threads.
Cannot Edit Posts
Twitter recently adds an option to edit Tweets for its premium users.
Meta does not allow Threads users to edit a post once published.
A user either has to delete or create a new post on the Threads app.
Given this feature has available on Instagram and Facebook for a while, Threads might get this feature in the coming days.
Direct Message (DM) Option
Threads does not allow its users to directly message on its platform and it even enable end-to-end encryption recently for added privacy.
Means users won’t be able to privately connect with each other.
AI Generated Alt Text
Alt text or alternative text is a description of an image or a video.
Most social media platforms allow users to customise the alt text, and Threads does not.
As it currently uses computer-generated alternative text, making it less accessible for users who depend on screen readers.
Trending Topics
Trending topics is one of the easiest ways to spot happening news on Twitter, and Threads does not have a threading topic section, at least as of now.
As per Instagram CEO said Threads is not for “Hard News“, so, it might not get a trending topic section anytime soon.
Ads
Threads does not show ads while Twitter is currently bombarded with ads.
Mark Zuckerberg has even hint that Threads might not get ads unless they get a significant number of (1 billion) users.
Cannot Embed Threads Post
If you find something useful on Threads and want to embed it on your blog, You can’t do that.
Right now, there is no provision to create an embedded post link on Threads.
Twitter has allowing users to create embedded post links for a long time.
Following Feed
Twitter which has a “For you” and “Following” feed, Threads only has a single feed, which will have trending posts and post from followers.
Right now, there is no option on Threads to read posts only from the people that you follow.
Chronological Feed
Twitter has an option where you can enable chronological feed although it’s not enable by default.
Right now, Threads has a randomly generated feed.
This is as good a time as any to have launch Threads app since Twitter is caught in a storm between advertisers, users and its owner.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg may not directly face off against Elon Musk in a cage fight, but their tech world rivalry continues.
The inbuilt Instagram link in Threads is likely to create a strong user base in a limited time considerably easier.
As Elon Musk increase Twitter’s daily post limit to 10,000 for verified users, 1,000 for unverified users, and 500 for new unverified users, the move is likely to lead to a loss of subscribers and advertisers, who start pulling out of the business since Musk’s November 2022 takeover.
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