It is available in Italy only from December 14th (in America it has been since July) but it is already becoming popular. We are talking about Threads, the latest creation by Meta, the new social media that he wants to make X shoes, better known as Twitter.
What is Threads
Threads is a microblogging social network similar to Twitter, which allows users to share short pieces of text, links, photos and videos. The app is "connected" to Instagram and gives the advantage of bringing with it an already existing follower base.
After overcoming regulatory obstacles, (to adapt to stringent European regulations) the app landed in Europe, thus expanding its availability already present in a hundred countries.
“Our priority is to ensure that our products and services comply with the laws of the region in which they operate. It was important for us to take the time to understand the regulatory landscape and invest in conversations with EU regulators,” he explained Meta in a release
Before the opening of the European market, Threads had 141 million users. In the first two days of its release, Mark Zuckerberg's new social network had gathered 70 million users in the 48 hours following its launch, making Threads the fastest growing social network in history.
Numbers that are destined to grow enormously from December 14th.
How to sign up for Threads
The procedure for use Threads it's simple: just visit the homepage, download the app for Android or iPhone (or use the QR code for a direct download from the stores), and then log in with an existing Instagram account or create a new one. If you choose to log in with your existing Instagram account, a link will automatically be created to your Threads in your Instagram profile, maintaining the same username and profile photo. There is also the option to customize the profile for the new account. It is possible to delete the Threads account without deleting the connected Instagram account by selecting the “Deactivate” option from the internal settings.
THEintegration with Instagram offers several advantages, such as the presence of an already existing follower base. You can automatically follow the same Instagram accounts on Threads and find new accounts to follow directly from the app. Threads acquires profile details from Instagram, allowing you to write a new bio or add links to other profiles, but does not allow you to change your name or username on Threads, as these are taken directly from Instagram.
Threads' default feed, called “For You,” is a combination of posts from people you follow and recommended content. You can select another feed called “Already following”, which only shows posts from people you follow, sorted chronologically.
Threads offers clear and flexible privacy options, allowing users to decide who can respond to their content. The function of Making your profile private is available, ensuring that only approved followers can access the user's posts.
How Threads works
Threads allows the publication of posts with a maximum limit of 500 characters, therefore longer than the 280 characters of Twitter (with the exception of Twitter Blue) (unless you are registered with Twitter Blue).
Posts can contain photos, videos with maximum duration of five minutes, audio and web links. A big change compared to its rival is that of send voice messages directed to the public. It is also possible to edit texts after publication. Gifs and polls are also available.
Publishing on Threads is quick and easy. Tap the “Posts” icon in the center of the menu bar at the bottom of the screen. If you exceed 500 characters, Threads automatically extends the discussion (“thread”). To add photos or videos, just tap the “Media” icon below the message. In addition to sharing your own content, you can interact with other posts on Threads using hearts, comments, raises and forwards, with four corresponding icons available under each post.
What you can do on Threads
The actions that is possible to accomplish They include:
- Publish a post by tapping or clicking on the pencil icon in the notebook, with the ability to attach photos, videos or links.
- Follow other accounts and mention them in posts; To send private messages, Instagram messaging is used.
- Interact with other people's posts through liking, reposting, commenting and sharing
I tag they work differently than other social networks: instead of being a single word, it is possible to categorize each post with an entire sentence, including spaces and special characters. Currently, to prevent spam and fraud, you are only allowed to use one tag per post.
What you can't do on Threads at the moment
Currently on the social network some key features are missing such as direct messages and content search.
Threads currently does not have the Direct Message function (DM), then it is not possible to send private messages directly through the app. However, it is possible to do this via Instagram, connecting direct messages from Threads to those from IG.
The hashtags and content search function are also missing. Zuckerberg announced that he is testing the keyword search function in some countries (not in Italy) and plans to launch it soon. Unlike X, trending content cannot be viewed on Threads.
Zuckerberg vs Musk
Threads is Mark Zuckerberg's answer to Elon Musk. The meta boss created it just like alternative to accommodate users who felt disappointed by the arrival of the Tesla owner as owner of X.
Many users have abandoned the former Twitter which has transformed over the last year into a toxic environment, lacking moderation and full of misinformation, racism and violence.
Fediverse objective
The app is constantly evolving, with the company having already announced theMore features coming. The future goal is to integrate with other platforms to enter the so-called "fediverse", the set of independent servers that use open standards and common protocols to create a distributed network of social media and other online services. The goal of fediverse is to allow users to interact and share content across different platforms, without being tied to a single service provider.
According to Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, the plan is to allow all public accounts on Threads to be followed by other platforms as well. One of the next moves is to allow communication with other platforms like Mastodon that are not tied to Meta.
