More than 10 million people have signed up to a new app touted as a rival to Twitter within hours of its launch, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The platform, known as Threads, was developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
It went live in the UK at midnight on Thursday. The launch was brought forward by 15 hours and made available in 100 countries, excluding the EU due to regulatory concerns. Linked to Instagram, Threads allows users to post up to 500 characters of text, five minutes of video and links, as well as pictures.
High-profile figures such as chef Gordon Ramsay, pop star Shakira, and YouTuber LadBaby have already joined Threads. Downing Street is reportedly considering getting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the app. His official spokesman said: "As with other social media sites we will use the best tools available to us to communicate the Government's priorities to the public. This one was launched today, we'll evaluate it and make a decision at the appropriate time."
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps have also signed up. The launch of Threads comes at a time of turbulence for Twitter, which recently imposed tweet viewing limits partly blamed on data harvesting by companies building artificial intelligence models.
Since Elon Musk took over as CEO, many users have expressed frustration with Twitter, citing political views, erratic behaviour, and attempts to push users towards the paid-for Twitter Blue service. Mark Zuckerberg, posting on Threads under the username "zuck" and using a "mind blown" emoji, wrote: "10 million sign up in seven hours."
He earlier stated that he believes there should be a public conversations app with more than a billion users - and hopes Threads will achieve that.
Threads is directly linked with Instagram, which has over 2 billion users, while Twitter is estimated to have over 350 million users. Zuckerberg has suggested that Threads will provide a more wholesome alternative to Twitter, saying: "The goal is to keep it friendly as it expands. I think it's possible and will ultimately be the key to its success."
The new app is the latest development in the rivalry between Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter in October. Last month, the two billionaires agreed to a cage fight, sparking a viral exchange on social media.
Users of Threads can log in using their Instagram credentials and, like on Instagram, can follow and connect with friends and influencers who share similar interests. In the UK, users under 18 will automatically have a private profile.
The app's feed includes threads from followed users as well as recommended content from new creators. Threads posts can be shared on Instagram stories and other platforms. Users have control over who can mention and reply to them, can filter out replies containing specific words, and can unfollow, block, restrict, and report other users.
Meta has stated that Instagram's safety guidelines will be enforced on Threads. The company eventually aims to allow non-Threads users to interact on the platform, ushering in a "new era of diverse and interconnected networks." If this happens, public profile posts will be accessible from other apps, while private profile posts will require approval from new followers. Social media consultant Matt Navarra believes Threads is the "first credible threat" to Twitter, offering users an alternative to escape the platform. However, he noted that Meta and Instagram's reputations could impact public opinion of Threads.
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