As a complement to Instagram, the well-known photo-sharing platform that Mr. Zuckerberg’s business, Meta, acquired more than a decade ago, the new app, Instagram Threads, was released on Wednesday. If Instagram’s management had their way, Threads, which some techies call to as a “Twitter killer,” would also displace Twitter.

Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter last year, and Mark Zuckerberg’s competition are intensifying with the introduction of Threads. By tampering with its algorithm and other features, Mr. Musk has altered the Twitter experience. Most recently, he put temporary restrictions on the number of tweets users could read while using the app, sparking uproar.

In recent months, a lot of internet businesses have attempted to profit from Twitter’s unrest. But Threads has an advantage thanks to Meta’s considerable financial resources and Instagram’s massive global user base of more than two billion monthly active users.

Instagram Threads reached 10 million users in seven hours

Ten million people signed up for Threads, Meta’s long-awaited Twitter rival, in the first few hours of its launch. Threads is marketed as a site for “sharing text updates and joining public conversations” and was developed by the company’s Instagram team.

The Twitter competitor that Meta built, Threads, has finally gone live after months of leaks and speculations. You may now access the new platform via Threads.net’s desktop version, iOS, and Android apps. The man who founded Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, said, “Let’s do this,” in a post on Wednesday welcoming new members to the service. Greetings from Threads.

More than 10 million individuals registered to use Meta’s new “Threads” program in the first seven hours of its introduction on Wednesday, according to the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg. This is a warning sign that Twitter, which has recently been troubled by technical problems and unpopular changes, may be seriously threatened by the Instagram offshoot.

How to use Instagram Threads

Threads, an app developed by Instagram, is designed to enable real-time, open communication between users. Additionally, Threads promotes Instagram, a prominent app in Meta’s line of goods.

Instagram has a strong connection to Threads. For the time being, everyone interested in downloading the new app must already have an Instagram account. The user’s Threads username and Instagram handle must match.

And if they like, users may immediately import the list of Instagram users they follow into Threads. On the new app, verified Instagram users will also be present. Users have the option of making their Threads account private or public.

“Everyone who is under 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) will be defaulted into a private profile when they join Threads. You can choose to follow the same accounts you do on Instagram, and find more people who care about the same things you do. The core accessibility features available on Instagram today, such as screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, are also enabled on Threads,” said Meta in its announcement.

To learn how to use Instagram Threads on iOS and Android, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Type Threads in the search box.
3. Download the application.
4. Launch the application
5. Log in to your Instagram account.
6. Create a profile.
7. Select between public or private.
8. Follow the others.
9. Start exploring!

Instagram Threads vs. Twitter

Beyond the predicted cage match between Musk and Zuckerberg, the two tech behemoths are at odds with one another. Due to Instagram Threads’ built-in Instagram integration, it may be much simpler to get users rapidly.

Musk boosted the number of posts per day on Twitter from 1,000 to 10,000 for verified users, 1,000 for unverified users, and 500 for new unverified users, but the change may discourage users and advertisers.

However, there are detractors of the new Instagram Threads platform as well. Forrester analyst Mike Proulx claims that Meta is taking advantage of the current wave of Twitter anger after having previously tried to launch and shut down Threads.

Users of Threads will be limited to 500 characters, according to Meta. Twitter users who are not verified are restricted to 280 characters. The blue badge from a verified Instagram account may still be shown on Threads. Twitter, however, costs $8 per month for this feature. Customers will also be able to increase their 25,000 character limit with the purchase. Meta has not yet shown this option.

In many aspects, Threads operates quite similarly to Twitter. The majority of it is about text conversations, and each of your messages, or “threads,” is limited to 500 characters. By placing the “@” symbol in front of someone else’s username, you may comment on their postings. Additionally, there are buttons that allow you to “repost” (retweet) or quote other people’s posts. Should anything comprised of several threads be referred to as a knit?

Though you may upload images and movies, Threads won’t display them like Instagram posts or Reels. Instagram photographs and videos can also be shared on Reels, but they will just appear as regular links. Out of the box, the two applications don’t function properly together.

According to Meta, one advantage it has over Twitter is safety. The same guidelines for content that are already in place on Instagram will apply to Threads. As a result, users on Instagram Threads won’t be able to purchase weapons, threaten individuals or organizations, or assist terrorists or hate groups.

Anyone who is capable of using Instagram is likewise capable of using Threads. This includes Donald Trump too. Trump’s Facebook and Instagram profiles were reactivated by Meta earlier this year after being inactive for two years.

Threads is not accessible in Europe

The EU has tougher privacy laws than most other nations, which has caused Meta some problems in recent years. As a result, Threads is not currently functioning in the EU and may never do so.

The EU did not obstruct the app’s release; rather, Meta is exercising caution ahead of time. The firm isn’t making the app available in EU member states because it’s unsure about the regulations outlined in the Digital Markets Act, which is the EU’s new competition law regulating how powerful internet platforms may utilize their market position.

Tech giants acknowledge gatekeeper roles under the EU Digital Markets Act

With businesses like Meta, the European Commission is now debating the rules; more instructions are anticipated in September.

Even still, it’s unclear if Threads would adhere to the severe privacy regulations set down by the EU. Tech writers have referred to the app as a “privacy nightmare” since, although being an independent app, it integrates user data from Instagram.

Users of Instagram Threads are warned on its US version that it would gather a variety of data on them, including contacts, sensitive information, location, purchases, and browser histories, in addition to their health and financial data.

Featured image credit: Dima Solomin on Unsplash