UnTHREADing The New Text Based App

Meta has entered the fray with Threads, an innovative text-based app positioned as a direct competitor to Twitter.

I know you are probably thinking… “NOT ANOTHER PLATFORM” and I can’t help but wonder: will Threads fail to impress or pose a significant challenge to Elon Musk?

Firstly, its intuitive and user-friendly interface seamlessly integrates with Instagram so it was all pretty easy. With a simple search for “Threads” in the app store, I quickly located Threads by Meta. 

Upon launching the app, I was prompted to connect my Instagram account for a hassle-free registration process. Opting to switch from my personal to my professional page, I instantly became a proud Threads user.

Notably, Threads requires integration with an existing Instagram username during the sign-up process, meaning those without an Instagram account will need to create one to access this new platform.

Functionally, Threads offers a microblogging experience reminiscent of Twitter, but with a touch of Instagram’s allure. It’s like witnessing a surreal fusion of the two, resulting in a more coherent and user-friendly offspring. Upon opening the app, I was greeted by intuitive buttons for liking, reposting, replying to, or quoting a “thread*, however I knew NO ONE on the thread, and it was just a bunch of randoms sharing memes about how stupid this idea is… THEN I found one friend… My reaction below: 

Using Threads feels like entering a parallel reality where Twitter and Instagram coexist seamlessly. The feed is sleek and easy to navigate, although at this early stage, it primarily showcases accounts I haven’t yet followed or taken an interest in. However, as more users join, this is likely to change… I haven’t actually used Twitter for years because it didn’t take off here in Australia like it did in the US/UK, but maybe Threads is going to change the game in that respect… 

Diverging from Twitter, Threads avoids the use of hashtags and lacks a specific text or phrase search feature. Furthermore, it allows users to share up to 10 photos in a single post, mirroring Instagram’s limit, instead of Twitter’s cap of four images.

I am concerned about a potential clash of cultures between Instagram’s curated, photo-centric lifestyles and a Twitter-like service. How will the meticulously crafted world of Instagram posts mesh with the freewheeling, meme-heavy, and occasionally unpredictable realm of Twitter? 

So far, the experience on Threads has been intriguing and unfamiliar… In short I don’t think anyone really knows what to do… TBH I don’t think I will personally grasp this platform… But I did say that about TikTok and here we are…  

C x