Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has introduced Threads, a new app that aims to compete with Twitter. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, presented Threads as an expansion of Instagram, providing users with a positive and creative space to express their ideas.
Threads allows users to seamlessly transition from Instagram to a dedicated platform for real-time updates and public conversations. By logging in with their Instagram accounts, users can maintain their usernames and verifications, while also customizing their profiles specifically for Threads. The app prioritizes accessibility with features like screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, reflecting Instagram's commitment to inclusivity.
In addition to its core functionality, Threads offers a feed that combines posts from followed accounts on Instagram with recommended content from new creators, facilitating discovery and engagement. In Threads, you can express yourself by sharing posts with up to 500 characters. You have the freedom to add links, photos, and videos that can be as long as 5 minutes. Let your creativity shine! Moreover, Threads makes it simple to share posts to Instagram Stories or as links on different platforms, widening the audience and influence of user-created content.
To ensure user control, Threads incorporates robust tools that enable users to manage who can mention or reply to their posts, and the ability to filter out specific words in thread replies. Also, The app comes with important safety features that users are familiar with, such as the ability to block, restrict, and report profiles.
Looking ahead, Meta plans to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This compatibility would enable connections with other apps supporting ActivityPub, giving users more control over their audiences and the ability to seamlessly transfer content to other services.
Threads is available to download on iOS & Android devices in more than 100 countries, including India. This exciting app empowers you to discover and connect with your communities on various platforms. Meta has also promised future updates, including improved recommendations in the feed and a more robust search function for real-time topic and trend tracking.
Following the announcement, Meta's stock closed up 3% on Wednesday, surpassing gains made by competitor tech companies, despite a slightly downward trend in the broader market.