Threads: Meta’s Take on Twitter
Everything businesses need to know about the latest social media.
As we all know, Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has resulted in the app's massive plummet in popularity, with Twitter now valuing a mere third of what Musk bought it for. From paid verification ticks to now limiting how many tweets you’re allowed to see a day, it’s clear that not everyone is happy with the new change in leadership. Whilst users were looking for a new place to flock to, Meta decided to take advantage of Musk’s mistakes: for months now, Meta’s been working on their new, shiny, Twitter-esque app. Going by the name “Threads” and gaining 10 million downloads during the first 24hrs after release, it’s clear that this is the hot new Twitter replacement that everyone’s been waiting for.
So, what has the team at Vibrant found out about Threads? What are the new features, how do you set up an account, and where is it available to download?
How to get on Threads
First of all, Threads is available in over 100 countries and can be downloaded onto both Android and iOS devices . You need a pre-existing Instagram account , which allows you to automatically transfer all of your account info onto Threads (making it a dangerous competitor for other new micro-blogging apps, as you don’t have to build your follower community from scratch: these are transferred too!).
The benefits
Upon first look, Threads looks almost the same as Twitter. However, after using it for a bit, we found the differences that gave the app the title of “Twitter-Killer”.
The ad-free, bot-free experience with a diverse range of users makes this social media a breath of fresh air in comparison to Elon’s ad-filled, free-speech dystopic version of Twitter. With a clean, easy-to-use interface and a feed that’s still figuring out how to manage its algorithm, the place is a creative collection of voices meeting, greeting, and enjoying the merge of their Twitter and Instagram audiences. There’s no option to send direct messages as of yet, allowing users to post and curate their thoughts in a more friendly way, which is a very different dynamic from Twitter’s unwelcoming atmosphere. Zuckerberg stated that he wanted Threads to be an “open and friendly place for conversation” : so far, it seems as though that’s the case, with users commenting on the community’s collective feel, and many already jumping ship from Twitter.
So, what are the risks to this shiny new social media?
The drawbacks
Well, it only took a handful of hours for Elon Musk to catch on and file a lawsuit against Meta . After his Twitter takeover, Elon dismissed roughly 3,700 workers (about half of Twitter’s workforce). He is now accusing Meta of hiring ex-Twitter employees in order to gain Twitter’s trade secrets , as well as other intellectual property. Twitter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, demanded that Meta “take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information.”
In response to these allegations, Meta’s Communications Director, Andy Stone, verified that no past Twitter employees had any association with the development of Threads. However, if Meta loses the lawsuit, they’ll be forced to cease use of any materials believed to be legally owned by Twitter.
This means that, if you’re able to build and cultivate an engaged community on Threads, there’s still a chance that it won’t be permanent. If this happens, you’ll have wasted time, money, and resources on an app that ultimately won’t help you build a solid customer base.
Another risk that’s common with most social media apps is the data Threads can collect from you. As per the app store, Threads are allowed to access and collect users’ data, including: health, fitness, finances, contacts, browsing history, usage, location, search history, identifiers, and other private information.
Conclusion
All in all, Threads seems to be a rather promising new addition to the array of social media apps out there. A refreshing change to the endless ad-littered, competitive landscape we’re used to, we think we’ll give Threads a try for now. Hope to see you there!
If you do choose to check out Threads for yourself, make sure to drop our page a follow at: Vibrant_Networks (and, if you need any IT support or IT services, call Vibrant Networks today!)
