I don’t know about you, but social media can be a bit overwhelming. It seems like every day, there’s a new app coming out trying to compete for my (already fragmented) attention and I can’t keep up, so I’ve simply stopped trying. However, there’s a new release on the horizon that might be worth paying attention to: Facebook owner Meta is just about to release its Twitter rival app, Threads, on Thursday, and it could prove interesting.
Lest we forget, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are ready to cage fight at the Colosseum over this thing, so even Musk must feel like there’s a reason to be afraid of what effect Threads might have on what’s left of the company he pretty much destroyed. However, the idea that Meta of all companies is capable of changing the social media landscape with Threads is somewhat doubtful. After all, look what they’ve done to Facebook.
Threads is already available to pre-order on the Apple App Store, and you’ll need to link up to your Instagram to use it. This is pretty annoying — some people don’t want all their apps connected! Nevertheless, it’ll likely get some initial traction based on pure curiosity.
Meta’s Threads app could be the first real competitor for Twitter
Meta
So, what’s it all about? Meta says Threads is a “text-based conversation app,” so, yes, very much like Twitter. However, unlike what Musk is trying to do with Twitter, Threads will be totally free, and there won’t be any restrictions when it comes to usage. (ICYMI, Elon Musk limited free Twitter users to viewing 600 tweets per day because of “data scraping” issues, apparently.)
Of course, it’s important to note that using Threads means you must be willing to let Meta grab every ounce of data your device has to offer, from your browsing history to your purchases and your location. I’ve already sold my soul to Big Internet and would rather be force-fed ads I’m actually interested in, so this doesn’t bother me, but it’s something worth considering.
We’ll see how well Threads does, but given that it’s already starting with millions of users since it’s pulling from Instagram accounts, it’s off to a good start.
