Meta’s New Threads App is Making Waves, Here’s What You Need to Know

Facebook’s parent company Meta launched Threads, an Instagram app, on July 5 as a competitor to Twitter. In less than a week it had 100 million sign-ups and has been touted as the “Twitter killer.” So, what is Threads? Well, it looks a lot like Twitter, with a feed of text-based posts and real-time conversations. Like Twitter, Threads users can reply to posts and repost or quote others’ content. Users can also post videos and photos and it has a 500-character limit (more than Twitter’s 280-character limit).

Because Threads is an Instagram-connected app, it offers users a lot of the functionality they enjoy with Instagram, such as:

• Posting from Threads directly to Instagram stories
• Signing up using their Instagram account, which allows users to keep the same username, password and account name
• Creating a unique bio
• Importing a list of Instagram accounts users follow directly to Threads
• Selecting whether accounts are public or private
• Transferring verified status from Instagram to Threads

Threads is relatively user-friendly, but this initial version lacks several features that users may expect, including:

• A feed for only those accounts a user follows
• A chronological feed
• Hashtags or a search function
• Direct messaging
• Multi-account options for those who manage multiple accounts,
• Post editing (also absent on Twitter)
• A desktop web interface.

Meta has stated it will likely introduce these features in future updates. Further, currently, it is not possible to delete a Threads account independently; deactivating the account also requires deleting the associated Instagram account. Meta has acknowledged this issue and is working on a solution. Although this is promising, it suggests that Meta may have rushed the Threads launch.

One of the main concerns regarding Threads pertains to the data the app can access. Threads has access to location data, contacts, search history, browsing history, and even health information. There is no option to opt out of this data collection, meaning that upon setting up an account, you grant access to this information. This doesn’t mean you should avoid joining Threads altogether, but it’s important to be aware of these potential privacy issues.

As for incorporating Threads into your social media strategy, don’t hinge it entirely on Threads just yet. Consider signing-up, reserve your username, look around, and start interacting with other users. Although, there are reports of declining traffic on Twitter, time will tell if it really is the “Twitter killer.”

Perhaps most critically for professional users, currently, there are no reporting tools available yet, which makes it challenging to establish and measure goals as part of a strategic approach. While over 100 million users have signed up, many are taking a cautious approach, familiarizing themselves with the app before diving all in. We recommend you do the same – and stay tuned for more updates.