Meta's Twitter rival, Threads, has recently launched and reportedly gained over 10 million signups within the first seven hours, as stated by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Twitter thread. The app is now available globally, except in Europe. This rapid signup pace highlights Meta's ability to scale up compared to other Twitter rivals such as Bluesky, which still requires invite codes for access.
To commemorate the occasion, Zuckerberg tweeted for the first time in over a decade, using the classic Spider-Man standoff picture, showcasing his understanding of memes. He added the caption "10 million signups in seven hours" to celebrate Threads' success.
Threads, overseen by Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, is aimed at competing with Twitter and other alternatives like Mastodon. Mosseri plans to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, the source protocol that powers Mastodon and other decentralized services known as the "Fediverse."
Threads is closely tied to Instagram and built on the same platform, giving Meta an effective way to promote the app. Users who pre-ordered Threads on iOS received push notifications when it went live, likely contributing to the high number of signups.
However, the app has faced some early criticisms. One of the main complaints is the lack of a chronological, following-only feed, with users having to rely on the Threads algorithm to curate their content. Users have also expressed frustration over the absence of post editing, hashtags, account switching, and more. Currently, only Instagram-verified users (not Facebook-verified) have received the blue verification badge on Threads. Considering Threads' positioning as a discussion platform and potential competition with Twitter, it might be beneficial to allow Facebook-verified users to be verified on Threads or establish a new verification system.
Although Threads has some initial teething issues, it is still in its early days, and the app is expected to undergo substantial changes in the future. User feedback and whether Meta listens to it will be an interesting story to follow in the coming months.
Adam Mosseri has addressed some of the issues raised, stating on Threads that a following-only feature is "on the list." He also mentioned that post editing, account switching, and clickable hashtags will be implemented over time. However, there is no mention of a web version of Threads, as it currently operates as a read-only platform on browsers, limiting posting capabilities to the iOS and Android apps.
Verification is another important topic of discussion. Elon Musk notably changed Twitter's verification system so that only Twitter Blue subscribers, prominent public figures, and news sites would receive the blue checkmark. This decision made it challenging for users to distinguish official accounts from others, resulting in a less enjoyable experience for many.
Overall, the future of Threads will likely involve significant changes and adjustments based on user feedback. The lack of certain features and the design layout have already generated strong opinions from users, and it remains to be seen how Meta will respond and evolve the app accordingly.
