Threads Has Twitter Users Chirping And It's Just Day 1

And the meme game is already strong.
Will Threads become the new Twitter? Only time will tell.
Will Threads become the new Twitter? Only time will tell.
SOPA Images via Getty Images

Mark Zuckerberg has officially launched Meta’s alternative to Twitter, Threads – and remaining Twitter accounts don’t know what to make of it.

Meta, which already owns Instagram and Facebook, has presented Threads as a “friendly” rival to Twitter. Zuckerberg claimed to have already attracted 10 million new users just seven hours after it launched.

The app is remarkably similar to Twitter – “threads” after all is what a series of Twitter posts is usually called – and allows posts of up to 500 characters.

Posts can instantly be shared to Instagram and vice versa, with links, photos and videos up to five minutes.

It also allows new users to follow all of the same people they already follow on their Instagram accounts – although, if you then want to delete your Threads account, your Instagram account will go, too.

Still, it seems this syncing with Instagram will give new users a boost, which could give Threads the advantage over other Twitter duplicate platforms, like Bluesky and Mastodon.

The other main problem appears to be the amount of data the app wants to use, including health, financial and browsing data linked to users’ identities.

The app is not yet available in the EU, because of regulatory concerns, but it is available in more than 100 other countries.

It comes after months of criticism towards Elon Musk, Twitter’s relatively new CEO who has overhauled the app by removing much-loved free features like TweetDeck and verification ticks and making them available only to paying users. There were mass lay-offs among Twitter staff, too.

Zuckerberg has claimed that keeping the platform “friendly.... will ultimately be the key to its success” – Twitter has been scrutinised for allowing pile-ons and trolling to some users.

Asked if he thinks Threads will be bigger than Twitter, 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.”

In response, Musk replied: “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter then indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”

Anyway. Here’s what those still on Twitter are saying about Threads, ranging from those saying farewell to Musk’s platform and people who are significantly less convinced...

People joining Threads looking back at Twitter pic.twitter.com/GnB5cyq1C1

— Paul Broughall (@PaulieBroughall) July 6, 2023

People on internet after watching Meta and Mark Zuckerberg releasing copy of twitter - Threads App!#Threads pic.twitter.com/3EewF2KoOf

— Vishal Verma (@VishalVerma_9) July 6, 2023

Me trying to use Twitter, Threads, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Mastodon, Reddit, Discord at same time.#Threads pic.twitter.com/4gFh5wRNUX

— Vishal Verma (@VishalVerma_9) July 6, 2023

waiting for people to follow me back on threads pic.twitter.com/0zsgrHsr7F

— Hen³ (@hencubed) July 6, 2023

Bit of a problem with "Threads" for any of us who lived through the 1980s. pic.twitter.com/gK21rF6rVt

— Otto English (@Otto_English) July 6, 2023

Elon introduced Paid Blue Tick for Twitter - Mark did the same with Meta.

Now Mark launched threads to compete with Twitter.

Cold battle between Elon & Mark is heating up.

Battle for Social Media platform Supremacy. pic.twitter.com/pQaphCfeNM

— Irshad Raees (@irshad_rais_) July 6, 2023

“Twitter has slipped, Threads could be in here!” pic.twitter.com/GV9iHQliOv

— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) July 6, 2023

threads quite quickly giving linkedin energy pic.twitter.com/cNH4OZ1N2K

— alasdair 🪿 (@alasdair_gbs) July 6, 2023

there's too many brands and locals on threads already pic.twitter.com/gHg8oJvPL2

— james (@jacomus) July 6, 2023

“Which would you choose, a social media platform owned by Musk or Zuckerberg?” is like a Saw movie premise

— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 6, 2023

Threads and Bluesky. pic.twitter.com/XDOQZ4oudZ

— Sooz Kempner | soozuk.bsky.social (@SoozUK) July 6, 2023

"You, boy. Is everybody on #Threads , yet - or just most people?" pic.twitter.com/EGYJ58rMfj

— The Poke (@ThePoke) July 6, 2023

Social media managers and admins having one more platform to manage after #Threads came out be like pic.twitter.com/OPZkoDa9Fl

— 9GAG ❤️ Memeland (@9GAG) July 6, 2023

mark zuckerberg after tricking everyone into singing up for threads and it somehow being even more shit than twitter pic.twitter.com/REh8RJZBYB

— Scott Chegg (@buckfastbadlad) July 6, 2023
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