Keeping up with social networks is sometimes difficult. Every day there is a new trend, a piece of news that went viral in minutes, or an update that forces us to do things differently. An example, to clarify: Threads, a new initiative from Meta, Mark Zuckerberg‘s company. We are talking about an application linked to Instagram that was released in 2023 and that established itself as strong competition for Twitter (currently called X). Since then, there have been several doubts from users. How does Threads work? What makes it different from Twitter? What’s coming in the future of this platform? If you have also asked yourself these questions, keep reading because we have the answers.
Threads main features
The name Threads is no coincidence. This is a common term in the field of computer programming that refers to the smallest execution of a program. These can have multiple threads running simultaneously, known as multithreaded programming. Threads allow different parts of a program to run independently.
Precisely this idea of threads that connect to each other, while being able to function autonomously, is what defines Threads. It is a microblogging application where users can share in real time texts of up to 500 characters accompanied by links, up to 10 images or videos with a maximum duration of five minutes. The social network was first launched in July 2023 and debuted on December 14 in the European Union.
A curiosity: the initial version of Threads became the fastest application to reach more than 1 million users. Specifically, it took only an hour. Furthermore, in the first 7 hours it reached 10 million active users .
How does Threads work?
The first thing you should know is that Threads is an application linked to Instagram, so you can log in with your account in the new application without registering. On the other hand, if you have used Twitter, the way Threads works may seem familiar to you.
As we mentioned before, this platform supports texts of up to 500 characters and you can include images or videos. You also have the option to respond to other people’s posts, share them, or quote them. It has a news wall that shows the content of accounts suggested by the algorithm, as well as those you follow. And yes, it includes a search engine and a notification button.
As it is linked to Instagram, the followers you have on this platform will also go to Threads if they have the application downloaded. In addition, it has an option that makes it shine: with very few touches you can share your post on Instagram stories, which creates that metaverse feeling and provides greater interaction between both social networks.
Differences between Threads and Twitter
- You need an Instagram account to use Threads, while Twitter works without any other app.
- On Twitter, posts have a maximum of 280 characters, while on Threads the limit is 500 characters. There are also more photos that can be uploaded with each publication and the duration of the videos, which on Twitter depends on whether you have a verified account or not.
- If you have your account verified on Instagram, you will also have it verified on Threads. However, on Twitter, you have to pay for the check.
- The followers you have on Instagram will move to Threads. On Twitter, you start managing your community from scratch.
- What happens on Twitter stays on Twitter (unless you take screenshots), while what you post on Threads you can easily share on Instagram Stories.
- While searching on Twitter can be through words, accounts, and hashtags, on Threads you can only find something by username.
What’s next for Threads?
Threads‘ main promise for its future is to be a decentralized social network, by adopting the ActivityPub protocol and integrating into Fediverso together with Mastodon. This means that there is no single server, so followers of this platform will be able to interact with users from other instances without needing to register.
It also aims to be a free, open and friendly space, where the audience can debate topics of interest and trend, or follow and connect with content creators and public figures. At the same time, they want Threads to be compatible with multiple apps, without restrictions, which could attract content creators who want to start from scratch with the number of followers.
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