Threads App from Meta Review – Becoming The Muse
Oh look shiny threads.
Meta launched a new social media app called Threads that’s been colloquially referred to as the Twitter Killer. According to Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg more than 30 million people had signed up to Threads, within the first few hours of its launch.
What is Threads?
Threads is a text-based social media app by Meta the parent company for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. It feels exactly quite unlike Twitter with some changes such as having a 500 character word limit and the ability to post upto 10 images in a single post, plus no rate limits.
Users can post Threads, reply and repost similar to the Twitter experience. Threads accounts are integrated with Instagram which allows seamless cross-posting of Threads to Instagram Stories and Feed.
To login to Threads you need the app and then signup via your Instagram Account. (If you do not have an Instagram Account, you would need to create one first.) There is an option to import your Instagram contacts so you can follow them if already on Threads and to invite those who are not yet on Threads to follow you when they join.
While we are here, it is prudent to point out that while you can deactivate your threads profile it will not completely delete your profile data. To permanently delete your Threads Account you would also have to delete your Instagram Account.
You might want to consider that before creating your Threads Account or to create a separate Instagram profile for your Threads Account.. Also note that you cannot change the name on your Threads Account as it uses the same one as on the Instagram Profile.
My Threads Experience
Threads is an aesthetically pleasing app that feels like the love child of Twitter and Instagram. I like it better than Instagram but not as much as I have loved Twitter.
Threads is currently in its honeymoon phase and its all good vibes as most users are still in the small accounts era where they interact more without trying to be socialites. Instagram Accounts that had large followings are already gaining large audiences. Verified Instagram accounts automatically become verified Threads accounts.
For now the interactions have been mostly friendly and its not by accident, Mark Zuckerberg wanted the platform to be sunshine and sunflowers.
We are definitely focusing on kindness and making this a friendly place
Mark Zuckerberg
The Good
First of all it has discrete analytics and doesn’t actively show the people someone follow. You can hide the number of likes on a post, which eases that toxic competitive clout seeking behaviour. You can set a reminder to take a break after you spend a certain amount of time on the App.
Future versions of Threads will be on the ActivityPub which will mean it can interact with decentralised networks such as Mastodon and other Fediverse Servers and that one would be able to migrate with their audience instead of being locked in to a platform.
No DMs (direct messages) no secrets on Threads 😂
The Bad
No DMs… what if you want to share sensitive information like the password of a popular streaming app?😂
The Threads Feed is a bit messy, not chronologic rather the algorithim pulls threads from accounts you follow, plus ‘recommended content from creators you haven’t discovered yet‘
Threads search function is rather limited. You cannot do a content specific search plus the are no hashtags or trending topics to give that realtime trending topic discourse one gets on Twitter.
No Web Client support. You can only interact with the threads platform via the app although you can view links to threads and profiles in the browser.
The Ugly
I am not a huge fan of giving my data to the Meta Company and now imagine them triangulating my digital presence.
The Threads App was launched earlier than initially projected to capitalise on the current Twitter melt-down with the rate limits and the API drama with third party apps, most likely some features got delayed in favour of the app roll out, which explains some of the missing functionality.
Meanwhile X Corp which owns Twitter is not is on the war path and suing Meta on intellectual property infringements for hiring former Twitter employees with proprietary knowledge of Twitter’s trade secrets.
Final Thoughts
Threads aint no Twitter Killer, at least not just yet. Instagram users will likely enjoy the Threads experience but for those of us whose Instagram and Twitter audiences are vastly different demographics, it can be a weird experience. My Facebook and Instagram is mostly family, friends and people who know my government names and they are not on my Twitter for a reason…. 😂
Have you tried out Threads?
Oh my Threads handle is @beatonm5
~B
Becoming The Muse 
Your thoughts.. if you will?