There were vague announcements in the spring, but the start is now fixed: Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is launching an app called Threads designed like Twitter – just at the time when Twitter owner Elon Musk reopens his company brought the trouble.
Threads have been available in the app stores since Monday. The app should be available Thursday. “We are considering a decentralized, independent social network that enables written messages in real-time,” Meta explained in mid-March. Even then, Twitter similarities were noticeable.
There are already smaller alternatives to Twitter. Mastodon has received a lot of attention in recent months, and interest has also grown in Bluesky, founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Telegram has also increased. So far, however, they have not replaced Twitter. Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is seen as a much stronger rival, has experience running major online platforms, and, unlike Twitter, does not face financial difficulties.
Threads rely on openness
Threads should be connected to Instagram. This base of more than a billion linked users could be another head start for the Meta app. According to the Platformer website, threads should be designed to be interoperable with other networks of the same type, i.e. with open interfaces. That would be a break from the previous strategy of large online companies. So far they have relied on closed environments with their own usage rules.
It would also be a big difference from Twitter. Musk made it clear at the end of last year that he doesn’t think much of interfaces with other platforms. He even temporarily suspended accounts that shared links to other networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Mastodon.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Meta’s entry into the competition with its app Threads marks a significant development in the social media landscape. With similarities to Twitter, Threads aims to provide a decentralized and independent social network for real-time written messages. While smaller alternatives like Mastodon and Bluesky have gained attention, Meta’s extensive experience in running major online platforms and the integration with Instagram’s vast user base give Threads a potential advantage.