Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has officially launched its text-based social networking app, Threads. Available on iOS and Android, the app allows users to post text updates of up to 500 characters, as well as share photos and videos up to five minutes long.
Users can log in with their Instagram username since Threads is closely tied to it. The app features a main feed with recommended content and posts from followed users, and users can interact with posts through likes, reposts, and quoting.
The Internet Protocol
Privacy controls similar to those on Instagram are also available on Threads. However, the app is not initially available in the European Union until Meta addresses potential regulatory concerns.
Threads is Meta's response to the competitive social media landscape, particularly targeting Twitter's space. Instagram head Adam Mosseri emphasized the opportunity to build something open and beneficial for the existing Instagram community. With a clean interface and familiar features like liking and commenting, Threads allows users to engage with their network seamlessly.
The Internet Protocol
The app also plans to support ActivityPub in the future, a decentralized social networking protocol, also used by platforms like Mastodon, that would let users transfer their data from Threads to another host.
As Meta expands its reach with Threads, it presents an alternative to Twitter, especially as the latter implements stricter restrictions on users. While Threads initially excludes the European Union due to data privacy concerns, its launch in over 100 countries, including the United States, signals Meta's commitment to providing users with a versatile social networking experience.
