If there is one thing Meta got right, it was the launch of their new Threads application, a direct competitor to Twitter. Threads is well on the way to hit the 100 million user mark faster than ChatGPT, TikTok, and Instagram! With all the hype and talk around the app, a lot of social media users, social media managers and businesses are feeling rather overwhelmed. We thought we would take the time to breakdown this new app into a very simple and easy-to-understand blog post.
What is Threads?
Threads is a new application that has been launched by Meta in over 100 countries and can be downloaded via your app store (for apple and android). The app was built and is laid out for sharing text updates and joining public conversations. Simply put, it is a place where you can consume a feed of text updates and publish your own text updates. Posts are limited to 500 characters and can include links, photos, and videos (limited to 5 mins).
Why is it “Instagram Based”?
The full name of the application is actually “Threads, an Instagram app”. Meta is not the first to launch an application in an attempt to compete with Twitter (we have had Bluesky, Mastodon, Hive Social etc.). However, Meta was able to rapidly boost user adoption by launching Threads through the existing (and very popular) Instagram application, resulting in it gaining over 30 million users within 24 hours of launching.
The App is directly linked to Instagram in the following ways:
- You log in to Threads using your Instagram account.
- Your Instagram username and verification carries over, but you can customize some parts of your profile specifically for Threads like your bio and profile picture.
- You can migrate all the people you follow on Instagram to threads, so that you follow the same people.
- You can easily share a Threads post to your Instagram story.
- Your Threads user number shows on your Instagram profile and makes moving between the apps and following users on both applications seamless.
- You cannot delete your threads account without deleting your Instagram account
Although Threads is being adopted very quickly, there are still a lot of additions and improvements that lie ahead, for example, being able to switch between Threads accounts (a big one for social media managers operating multiple accounts), being able to arrange your feed to see only content from people you follow, a DM feature etc. One exciting update that Adam Mosseri, Instagram CEO, has shared is that Threads will hopefully soon be compatible with ActivityPub. Now, what the heck does this mean?
ActivityPub
ActivityPub is like a set of rules or instructions that helps different social media platforms talk to each other. One example of a platform that uses ActivityPub is Mastodon, which is a decentralized social network. Decentralized means that it’s not controlled by one company or organization. With ActivityPub, people on Mastodon can post updates, share pictures, and interact with each other within the Mastodon network. However, in the future, Mastodon plans to expand and allow interactions with other social media platforms that also use ActivityPub. These other platforms are part of what is called the “fediverse.”
So, to summarize, ActivityPub is a protocol that allows different social media platforms, like Mastodon, to communicate with each other. The vision for the Threads application is to create an inclusive and connected network, enabling users to follow and engage with others across various compatible apps, even if they don’t have a Threads account. This basically means that anyone using an application within the fediverse can view and engage with your content. It allows for effortless expansion of one’s reach. Content posted by public profile holders on Threads will be accessible from other apps, attracting new audiences without additional effort. Private profile users will have the ability to approve followers and engage with their content, like the experience on Instagram.
“Soon, you’ll be able to follow and interact with people on other fediverse platforms, such as Mastodon. They can also find people on Threads using full usernames, such as @mosseri@threads.net.” – Adam Mosseri
Threads is Meta’s first app designed to be compatible with an open social networking protocol, allowing users to discover their communities, regardless of the specific app they prefer. If you leave Threads, you will be able to transfer your content to your preferred social networking application.
“If you’re wondering why this matters, here’s a reason: you may one day end up leaving Threads, or, hopefully not, end up de-platformed. If that ever happens, you should be able to take your audience with you to another server. Being open can enable that.” Mosseri says.
We hope this blog post was able to simplify a few things for you amidst a wild influx of content surrounding this topic. If you found value, be sure to follow us across social media platforms for further updates (we will also be launching season 2 of our podcast soon and the first episode will be dedicated to this new app, so stay tuned!)
