What is Threads? A Guide to Meta’s Twitter Competitor 

Posted by SMPerth July 17, 2023 6 Min Read

I’m trending on Threads 

Threads, Meta’s new Twitter competitor, has hit the app store, and people are already Threading about it. 

Meta’s answer to Twitter is here. Sure, it’s an answer to a quest that absolutely no one (like, no one) was asking, but it’s here nonetheless. 

It’s hard to see Threads as anything more than Meta seeing an opportunity to further strengthen their stranglehold on the social media space during Elon Musk’s incompetent tenure at the head of Twitter. 

We all know Mark Zuckerberg would rather be smoking some meats in the Metaverse, but expensive headsets are expensive, money is money, and Meta is going for the jugular.  

Let’s look at Threads, what it is, if you should be on it, and whether or not its existence is good or bad. 

What is Threads? 

It’s Twitter. 

Threads

According to Meta, the new app is “where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favourite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.”

So, yeah, it’s Twitter. Well, it’s kind of like if you bought Twitter from Aldi—familiar, strange, borderline illegal. 

How do I sign up for Threads? 

So, you want to start Threading? 

The genius behind Threads is its simple signup process and connection to your existing Instagram account. For the everyday social media user, Twitter is a difficult platform to really sink your teeth into and start posting. Sure, we all love following along and reading Twitter beefs, but finding a following on the platform is hard. 

To sign up , simply download the app and log in with your Instagram details. (There’s a good chance you’ll be prompted to sign up while using Instagram). From there, you can transfer over your Instagram bio and information and even follow all the people you’re already following on Instagram.  

Immediately, Threads eliminates one of the most significant barriers to entry that Twitter struggles with. 

Is Threads popular? 

Because it’s still such early days, it’s hard to tell whether or not Threads will stand the test of time or if people are just signing up for the memes or in spite of Elon Musk.

However, there’s no denying that the new app has successfully launched, with more than 30 million users signing up in the first 18 hours after its launch. 

Are there any privacy concerns using Threads? 

If you’re concerned about privacy and personal data, welcome to the world of social media. Every social media platform under the sun collects personal information from its users. Meta, however, doesn’t have the greatest track record. 

Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, has already flagged his concerns about Threads’ privacy practices. 

If criticism from Dorsey wasn’t enough, Threads is still yet to launch in the EU amid some uncertainty around personal data use.

Do we need Threads, and is it even a good thing? 

When it comes to whether or not we need another text-based app, the answer is clearly no. Be honest: do we really need any social media platforms? We certainly don’t need another Twitter. That said, with Elon Musk at the helm, Twitter might not be around much longer. 

The more interesting question is whether or not its existence is a good thing. Mark Zuckerberg already tried to buy Twitter back in the day. And now that Meta owns Instagram, the existence of Threads has them on the verge of a near social media monopoly if Twitter fails. 

For as long as we can remember, capitalists have screamed that competition breeds innovation. Clearly, a carbon copy of an existing social media platform is one of the most innovative things we may ever see in our time on this earth. 

There’s no denying that Elon Musk’s Twitter is a mess, but do we want one company owning three of the world’s most popular social media platforms? Food for thought. 

Have you signed up for Threads yet? In the comments below, let us know your thoughts about the “new” platform in the comments below.