Meta's Threads App Takes on Twitter with 30 Million Users on Day One: Will It Be the Ultimate Social Media Showdown?

On its first day of launch, Meta's newly introduced Threads app garnered a staggering thirty million users, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the company's chief. Positioned as a "friendly" rival to Twitter, which was acquired by Elon Musk in October, Threads has the potential to attract discontented Twitter users who are unhappy with recent changes on the platform.

Threads offers users the ability to post messages of up to 500 characters and incorporates many features similar to Twitter. Zuckerberg emphasised the importance of maintaining a "friendly" platform, which he believes will be the key to its success. However, Musk responded by stating that he preferred being attacked by strangers on Twitter rather than indulging in the "false happiness" of Instagram, which is known for its aesthetic focus.

When asked whether Threads would surpass Twitter in popularity, Zuckerberg expressed confidence in the app's potential, stating that while it may take time, he envisions a public conversations app with over one billion users. He suggested that Twitter had missed the opportunity to achieve this level of success and hoped that Threads would fill that void.

The launch of Threads received a warm response online, with many considering it a much-needed competitor to Twitter. However, competitors have raised concerns about the amount of data the app might utilise. The Apple App Store suggests that this could include health, financial, and browsing data linked to users' identities.

Some users have also voiced concerns about the inability to delete their Threads profile without deleting their associated Instagram account. In response, Meta stated that while the option to delete Threads profiles without affecting Instagram accounts is not currently available, they are working on addressing this issue. In the meantime, users can deactivate their Threads profiles, which will make their profile, posts, and interactions invisible to others. Meta also clarified that deactivating the Threads profile will not deactivate the Instagram account itself. Users can manage their Threads data by visiting their Instagram settings.

Threads is now downloadable in over 100 countries, including the UK, but it has not yet been made available in the EU due to regulatory concerns. Meta intends to explore launching in the EU, but the regulatory uncertainty, particularly surrounding the EU's Digital Markets Act, poses challenges. This act sets guidelines for data sharing between platforms owned by large companies like Meta, and the data sharing between Threads and Instagram is subject to these regulations.

The release of Threads follows criticism of Meta's business practices. Last year, whistleblower Frances Haugen accused the company of prioritising profits over safety and highlighted issues with platform moderation. Meta also faced a scandal involving third-party access to Facebook users' personal data, including through British political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Threads distinguishes itself by leveraging its connection to Instagram, which boasts hundreds of millions of users. While there are alternative platforms to Twitter such as Bluesky and Mastodon, they have struggled to gain significant traction. Users on Threads can share their posts on Instagram and vice versa, including links, photos, and videos up to five minutes in length.

Threads provides users with a feed of posts, referred to as "threads" by Meta, from accounts they follow and includes recommended content. Users have control over who can mention them and can filter out replies containing specific words. They also have options to unfollow, block, restrict, or report other profiles. Blocking accounts on Instagram automatically extends to Threads.

While the app draws comparisons to Twitter, with some investors calling it a potential "Twitter killer," Meta has emphasised its connection to Instagram. Notably, Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, recently limited the number of tweets users can see on the platform each day, citing concerns about data scraping. Twitter has also announced that its user dashboard, TweetDeck, will transition to a paid service in 30 days.

Since Musk's involvement, numerous Twitter users have expressed dissatisfaction with the platform and his leadership, citing his erratic behavior andpolitical views. Last month, Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg even jokingly agreed to a cage fight, and Zuckerberg's early posts on Threads referenced his interest in mixed martial arts.

While Threads is available for download in the UK, it has not yet been released in the EU due to regulatory uncertainties, particularly surrounding the EU's Digital Markets Act. This act establishes rules for data sharing between platforms owned by large companies like Meta, and the sharing of data between Threads and Instagram presents challenges in complying with these regulations.

Meta maintains that safeguarding privacy is fundamental to its business model. Despite criticism of the company's practices and past controversies, Meta envisions Threads as an initial version of the app, with plans to introduce additional features in the future. These features may include the ability to interact with users on other social media platforms like Mastodon.

In conclusion, Meta's newly launched Threads app has garnered significant attention with thirty million users signing up on its first day. Positioned as a friendly rival to Twitter, the app aims to attract dissatisfied Twitter users and offers similar features to its competitor. While it has received positive feedback, concerns have been raised regarding data usage and the inability to delete Threads profiles without impacting associated Instagram accounts. Nevertheless, Meta remains optimistic about the app's potential and intends to expand its user base globally, including in the EU once regulatory concerns are addressed.