Threads app: Instagram owner’s Twitter rival logs 5 million users in first hours

Threads from Meta is now available on the Apple and Google app stores in the US, UK and other countries, although not yet across the EU. Photograph: Davide Bonaldo/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads, logged 5m sign-ups in its first four hours of operation, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, as the company seeks to woo users from Elon Musk’s troubled platform through an offer of lengthier posts, a handful of celebrity backers – and a strong resemblance to its competitor.

The Facebook and Instagram owner brought forward the app’s debut by 15 hours to 7pm EDT in the US and midnight in the UK, making it freely available in 100 countries on the Apple and Google app stores, although regulatory concerns mean it will not be available in the EU.