Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
Threads has been the most notable story in social media since it launched last week. Developed by Meta, Threads is a direct response to Twitter and the controversial changes the platform has seen under the ownership of Elon Musk. A spin-off of Instagram, Threads has quickly amassed a sizable user base in the days since it launched on iOS and Android, and has now surpassed 100 million users.
Threads crossed the 100 million user mark earlier this morning, as spotted on third-party trackers like Quiver Quantitative. Described by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg as “an open and friendly space for conversation,” Meta made it incredibly easy to sign-up by letting users register with their Instagram credentials, with the option to follow the same people as on the picture-sharing platform.
Threads takes obvious inspiration from Twitter, essentially replicating elements of the platform’s UI and features. The similarities are so close in fact, that Twitter sent a letter to Meta last week, accusing it of stealing trade secrets and threatening legal action. Elon Musk has been a vocal critic of Meta, Zuckerberg, and Threads since the app’s launch.
While Threads has quickly passed major milestones on its way to 100 million users, there are still a lot of questions surrounding the platform's long term durability. The app is still missing key features like search and a following tab, although the head of Instagram has confirmed that those are both on the way. Threads has also yet to introduce ads, as it’s not Meta’s current priority with the app.
It’ll also be interesting to see if Threads is able to maintain its momentum and remain a direct competitor to Twitter in the long run. Technical issues and policy changes at Twitter made it easy for users to jump ship, but it’s yet to be seen if folks will fully commit to Threads as their preferred conversation app.