Meta launches Twitter rival Threads: Meta, the owner of Instagram, has launched Threads, a new social media network, with the intention of capitalizing on the turmoil faced by Twitter under the ownership of billionaire Elon Musk.
On Wednesday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg expressed his enthusiasm for the launch, stating, “Let’s do this,” in a post welcoming users to Threads. In a separate Instagram post, Zuckerberg emphasized the need for a friendly community and expressed gratitude to early adopters of the app.
However, it will not be offered in the European Union at first, due to ongoing negotiations between Meta and regulators regarding data sharing between Threads and Instagram.
Notable celebrities such as Gordon Ramsay, Jack Black, and Shakira have already joined Threads, making them some of the first users on the platform.
Thread App: Meta launches Twitter rival Threads
Many view Zuckerberg’s launch of Threads as a direct challenge to Musk, given the criticism Musk has faced as the owner of Twitter.
This move is expected to intensify the rivalry between these two billionaire tech leaders. Chris Cox, Meta’s chief product officer, previously stated that there is a demand for a “sanely run” platform, which Musk responded to by suggesting a physical competition between him and Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg replied to this challenge on Instagram by saying, “Send Me Location.”
Meta’s attempt to compete with Twitter comes after a series of issues at the social media giant, including layoffs, technical glitches, moderation controversies, and advertiser departures.
While some analysts believe that Threads, being accessible through existing Instagram accounts, may benefit from the large user base and advertiser connections of the popular photo-sharing app, previous attempts to challenge Twitter have had limited success.
Alternative platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Post have struggled to match the extensive reach of Twitter, which boasts over 400 million users worldwide.
