MANILA, Philippines – Meta, the owner of social media giants Facebook and Instagram, officially launched a new app called 'Threads' today, July 6, as it looks to challenge Twitter for real-time and text-based conversation.
"Threads is here. Let's do this," Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared on Facebook to signal the availability of the new text-focused messaging app.
The new app was built by the Instagram team according to Meta in a blogpost. They are also working toward making Threads compatible with the "open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet."
"Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas. Just like on Instagram, with Threads you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests – including the people you follow on Instagram and beyond," Meta said in a statement.
The debut of Threads came amidst the fresh turmoil on Twitter under the unpredictable ownership of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Download Threads on iOS and Android
Threads is now available for download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play online store in over 100 countries except for Europe reportedly due to concerns around adhering to local data privacy regulations.
How to use Threads?
1. To get started with Threads, simply use your Instagram account to log in. Your Instagram username and verification will carry over, with the option to customize your profile specifically for Threads.
Everyone who is under 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) will be defaulted into a private profile when they join Threads.
2. You can choose to follow the same accounts you do on Instagram, and find more people who care about the same things you do.
The core accessibility features available on Instagram today, such as screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, are also enabled on Threads.
3. Posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
4. You can easily share a Threads post to your Instagram story, or share your post as a link on any other platform you choose.
How to tune out noise on Threads?
You can control who can mention you or reply to you within Threads.
Like on Instagram, you can add hidden words to filter out replies to your threads that contain specific words.
You can unfollow, block, restrict or report a profile on Threads by tapping the three-dot menu, and any accounts you’ve blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads.
NOTE: Meta deployed Instagram’s Community Guidelines on content and interactions in the Threads app.
Is Threads really like Twitter?
Threads seems not exactly a Twitter clone as it has no hashtag or trending-topics function. Once you posted a thread, there's no way to edit it.
What's next for Threads?
During the launch, the new app has no ads and it's perfect for users to explore the features of the platform. But don’t expect it to stay that way.
Meta said they are working to add new features to help users continue to discover threads and creators you’re interested in, including improved recommendations in feed and a more robust search function that makes it easier to follow topics and trends in real time.
— The Summit Express
"Threads is here. Let's do this," Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared on Facebook to signal the availability of the new text-focused messaging app.
The new app was built by the Instagram team according to Meta in a blogpost. They are also working toward making Threads compatible with the "open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet."
"Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas. Just like on Instagram, with Threads you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests – including the people you follow on Instagram and beyond," Meta said in a statement.
The debut of Threads came amidst the fresh turmoil on Twitter under the unpredictable ownership of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Download Threads on iOS and Android
Threads is now available for download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play online store in over 100 countries except for Europe reportedly due to concerns around adhering to local data privacy regulations.
How to use Threads?
1. To get started with Threads, simply use your Instagram account to log in. Your Instagram username and verification will carry over, with the option to customize your profile specifically for Threads.
Everyone who is under 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) will be defaulted into a private profile when they join Threads.
2. You can choose to follow the same accounts you do on Instagram, and find more people who care about the same things you do.
The core accessibility features available on Instagram today, such as screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, are also enabled on Threads.
3. Posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
4. You can easily share a Threads post to your Instagram story, or share your post as a link on any other platform you choose.
How to tune out noise on Threads?
You can control who can mention you or reply to you within Threads.
Like on Instagram, you can add hidden words to filter out replies to your threads that contain specific words.
You can unfollow, block, restrict or report a profile on Threads by tapping the three-dot menu, and any accounts you’ve blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads.
NOTE: Meta deployed Instagram’s Community Guidelines on content and interactions in the Threads app.
Is Threads really like Twitter?
Threads seems not exactly a Twitter clone as it has no hashtag or trending-topics function. Once you posted a thread, there's no way to edit it.
What's next for Threads?
During the launch, the new app has no ads and it's perfect for users to explore the features of the platform. But don’t expect it to stay that way.
Meta said they are working to add new features to help users continue to discover threads and creators you’re interested in, including improved recommendations in feed and a more robust search function that makes it easier to follow topics and trends in real time.
— The Summit Express
