Meta, formerly known as Facebook, Inc., has recently launched Threads, a social networking app that aims to compete with Twitter. With its unique set of features and a focus on privacy, Threads offers users an alternative platform for sharing text updates and engaging in public conversations.
In the first 4 hours of today’s launch, it attracted more than 5 million followers.
According to The Verge, during a company-wide meeting, Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, acknowledged the demand for a Twitter alternative. He mentioned “from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run.”
What is Threads?
Threads is a new app developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. It serves as a microblogging social network designed for sharing text updates and participating in public discussions. With a similar concept to Twitter, Thread aims to provide a user-friendly and engaging platform for expressing thoughts and connecting with others.
Features of Threads
1. Extended Post Length: Unlike Twitter’s character limit, Thread allows users to post messages of up to 500 characters, enabling more detailed and expressive content.
2. Multimedia Sharing: Users can include photos, videos up to 5 minutes long, and web links in their posts, making it a versatile platform for sharing diverse content.
3. User-Friendly Interface: The app offers a streamlined and intuitive interface, making it easy for users to navigate, interact, and engage with others.
4. Content Recommendation: Threads combines posts from followed accounts with personalized recommendations, ensuring users have access to relevant and engaging content.
5. Age Restriction: Users can sign in using their Instagram username and must be at least 12 years old. When users under age 16 (or under age 18 in few countries) join Thread, their account will be default to a private profile.
How Threads Works
To get started with Thread, users can sign in with their existing Instagram account. By doing so, their username and verification status will carry over to their Threads account, allowing for a seamless transition. Users can choose to automatically follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram and customize their profile for their Threads account. The app enables users to interact with posts by replying, reposting, or quoting them, similar to other social media platforms.
What Threads Offers
Thread offers a unique blend of features that distinguish it from its competitors. The ability to share longer posts and incorporate various media formats provides users with more flexibility in expressing themselves. Additionally, the app aims to become compatible with ActivityPub, a decentralized social networking protocol. This integration will enable Thread users to interact with accounts on different platforms, expanding their social connections.
Privacy and Safety Measures
Thread incorporates several privacy features to ensure a safe and positive user experience. Users have control over who can reply to or mention them in a post, and they can utilize a word filter to prevent specific content from appearing in their feed. Additionally, blocked accounts on Instagram are automatically blocked on Threads as well. Meta enforces its Community Guidelines, investing substantial resources to moderate and uphold standards that foster positive and productive conversations within the app.
Is Threads Safe?
Thread prioritizes user safety by implementing measures to filter out unwanted content. Meta’s significant investment in enforcing guidelines on platforms like Instagram extends to Threads, maintaining a safe and respectful environment for users. Users can block or report other accounts, and younger users are automatically set up with private profiles, giving them control over who can follow them.
Have you joined the new app THREADS?
Let us know in the comment below.
Also Read: Jack Dorsey Introduces ‘Bluesky’ As A Twitter Alternative
(this story has not been edited by TSA Mag staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
