The new social network Threads has become the fastest-downloaded app. In less than 48 hours, it has surpassed 70 million signups. In this article, you will learn what Threads is, how to sign up, how it works, and the differences between Threads and Twitter. 

What is Threads?

Threads is a new social network in the form of an app created by the Instagram team, i.e., Meta. In it, you can share text posts and engage in public conversations.

Whether you’re a creator or a casual user, Threads offers a new, self-contained space for public conversations. Meta’s main vision is to translate what Instagram does best into text.

What is Threads

Like on Instagram – on Threads, you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests. 

Threads is available for both iOS and Android.

You can download the new social network in the App Store and Google Play, but it’s currently not available in all countries.

How to sign up

To sign in to the Threads app, you only need to use your Instagram account. Meta will transfer your username and password, but you can customize your profile after signing up.

Source: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature

How Threads works 

Your Threads feed includes content posted by people you follow and recommended content from new creators you have yet to discover. Posts can be up to 500 characters and include links, photos, and videos for up to 5 minutes.

You can easily share posts in the Threads app in your Instagram story or as a link on any other platform.

Anyone who signs up to Threads and is under 16 or 18 (depending on the country) will automatically be put on a private profile once they join.

How Threads work

Source: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature

Control over content

Threads presents itself as an app primarily for positive and productive conversations. Thus, you can control who can mention or reply to you within Threads. 

Similar to Instagram, you can add hidden words to filter out replies that contain specific and unwanted words by you. 

You can unfollow, block, restrict, or report a profile. Even any accounts you’ve blocked on Instagram will also automatically be blocked in the Threads app.

Setting up privacy in Threads

Source: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature

Compatibility with other networks

Meta wants to usher in a new era of diverse and connected networks through the app. If you have a public profile on Threads, your posts will be accessible from other apps, allowing you to reach new people without additional effort. 

However, if you set up a private profile, you’ll approve users who want to follow you and interact with your content, similar to Instagram.

If you have a public profile on Threads, your posts will be accessible from other apps.

Threads posts will be available from other apps as well

Source: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature

Differences with Twitter

According to Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter has never succeeded as well as it could have, mainly because of the profanity, racism, anti-Semitism, or transphobia present. This is where he sees the most significant difference. The Threads app is supposed to be significantly less aggressive and confrontational. 

In addition, multiple images and videos can be posted to Threads simultaneously, whereas Twitter has a limit of four files per tweet. Threads allow you to share ten files in a single post, similar to a carousel post on Instagram.

While Twitter includes a 280-character limit, Threads offers up to 500 characters. However, you don’t have the option to write a private message to the user on Threads.

Threads do not allow users to search for anything except usernames and accounts.

The Threads feed shows posts from everyone, regardless of whether the user follows the account, while Twitter has two feed options. The first is based on what you follow, while the other is based on preferences.

So there are a few similar features, but also many different ones, which is why each social network has its pros and cons. 

Sources

https://about.fb.com/news/2023/07/introducing-threads-new-app-text-sharing/

https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature

https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/twitter-vs-threads-five-key-differences-between-the-social-media-platforms-388775-2023-07-07

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/06/threads-review-twitter-without-rough-edges-or-news