Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, on Wednesday launched a new social media platform called Threads.
The new application is touted as the competitor of Twitter that has undergone several changes since businessman Elon Musk bought the company last year.
Users on Threads can share text updates and join public conversations, according to Meta. To create an account, users will have log in using their Instagram account. The application also gives an option to import bio information and followers from their existing Instagram profile.
Threads gives users a 500-character count limit and they can also include links, photos and videos up to five minutes in length. Threads is also allowing its verified Instagram accounts to keep their blue badge.
On Wednesday, Meta’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said that one crore users signed up for the application in the first seven hours of its launch, reported the BBC.
The launch of the new application by Meta comes as a strategic move to attract Twitter users unhappy with the recent changes on the platform. Last week, Twitter had restricted the number of tweets verified and unverified users could see on the platform per day.
Earlier in April, the microblogging platform had started removing the blue tick icons that were a mark of verification of the user’s identity on the platform.
The blue tick, which was earlier a mark of authenticity of profiles of celebrities, journalists, other prominent figures, organisations and government bodies, was made available to any user who paid a monthly subscription fee of $8 (over Rs 650).
Musk reacted to Threads’ launch by posting a laughing emoticon to a meme that implied that the new application was nothing but a copy-paste version of Twitter. He also said that it was “infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram”.
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg posted his first tweet in 11 years to share a meme that echoed the sentiments of several observers that Threads shares uncanny resemblance with Twitter.
He was also asked on Threads whether the app will become bigger than Twitter to which he said: “It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully we will.”
However, on Tuesday, Twitter’s co-founder Jack Dorsey had shared a screenshot of the data that Threads may collect that links it back to the user.
The screenshot of “Data Linked to You” section on iOS App Store showed that Threads will collect financial information, contact information, user content, browsing history, usage data, purchases, contacts, identifiers, sensitive information, location, search history and other data.
“All your Threads are belong to us,” Dorsey said in the tweet.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!