Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri Sees Opportunity in Twitter’s ‘Volatility’ under Elon Musk, Deems it a ‘Bold’ Venture Worth Pursuing
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO at Meta, recently announced Threads as an exciting addition to Instagram’s platform. Designed to challenge Twitter’s dominance, Threads aims to provide users with a positive and creative environment to express their ideas.
Takeaways:
- With Threads, you can seamlessly log in using your Instagram account and effortlessly share posts of up to 500 characters.
- Moreover, you have the flexibility to incorporate links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in duration.
- Upon joining Threads, individuals under the age of 16 (or under 18 in specific countries) will automatically be assigned a private profile as the default setting.
It also introduces a unique feed that merges posts from followed Instagram accounts with recommended content from emerging creators, fostering discovery and interaction. Users can now express themselves through text-based posts, consisting of up to 500 characters, complemented by links, photos, and videos lasting up to 5 minutes. Additionally, Threads facilitate the sharing of posts as Instagram Stories or links on various platforms, amplifying the reach and influence of users’ content.
This microblogging platform emphasizes user control, offering robust tools to manage interactions. Users can determine who can mention or reply to their posts and filter out specific words from thread responses. Furthermore, the app incorporates familiar safety features, including profile blocking, restricting, and reporting, ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for all.
Meta has set its sights on the future by planning to integrate Threads with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol endorsed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This integration would pave the way for seamless connections with other applications that support ActivityPub. Meta envisions a future where users can exercise greater control over their audiences, offering them the possibility to effortlessly transfer their content to other services.
By embracing ActivityPub, Meta aims to foster enhanced connectivity and interoperability, enabling Threads users to engage with a wider network of platforms and communities. This forward-thinking approach aligns with Meta’s commitment to empowering users and facilitating the seamless flow of their content across different online services.
One significant advantage of Threads is the absence of a paid verification scheme that offers additional features. However, users with verified blue checks on Instagram will have their verification status carried over to Threads accounts. Notably, except for extreme cases such as the sharing of child exploitation imagery, moderation actions taken by Meta on a Threads account will not impact its associated Instagram account, as revealed in internal documents.
The integration between Threads and Instagram facilitates the swift sharing of posts from Threads to Instagram stories or feeds. Furthermore, users can share links to Threads posts on other applications—a feature that Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri believes will be instrumental in establishing Threads from scratch.
Upcoming Updates
Upon their announcement of the global release of Threads in over 100 countries for both iOS and Android platforms. Users residing in these countries can now download the app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Furthermore, they are actively working on expanding Threads’ compatibility with the ActivityPub protocol. In the near future, we will introduce a range of exciting new features to enhance your experience.
These updates will include enhanced recommendations within your feed, allowing you to discover threads and creators aligned with your interests. Additionally, they are also developing a more powerful search function that enables real-time tracking of topics and trends, making it easier than ever to stay connected.