What it’s all about
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has launched a new app called Threads. Which is for sharing thoughts and text, photos and videos, unlike Instagram this app offer more flexibility on writing, you can write any segment and upload without any photo or video, most similar to existing Twitter.
Threads doesn’t offer personal messaging system till now, but we can expect it soon or they can sustain Instagram as the prime messaging app.
Threads uses your existing Instagram account to signup and gather data. Massive audience has been signed up and actively using threads. Major celebrities are also hoping into this new platform, but does this popularity will sustain? As because threads lacks some important features which is already available in twitter like messaging , trending page, search content etc.
Why Twitter Freaked Out
Most of the people claim Threads to be the copy of twitter which is fair as because Threads took the whole concept as it is from twitter, nearly all of the features is similar to twitter. Threads did small changes to fit into the system and attract more audience like increased character limit in posts, video length, No. images and videos per post etc.
Reportedly, it is being accused that Mark Zuckerberg (CEO of META) hired around 12 ex-employ of Twitter and used them to build Threads. Recently, it is claimed that Elon Musk (Owner & CTO of Twitter) is going to file law suit against Threads commenting it as “Competition is fine, Not cheating”.
Twitter v/s Threads
| Feature | Threads | |
| Character limit | 280 characters | 500 characters |
| Video length | 2 minutes and 20 seconds | 5 minutes |
| Number of images/videos per post | 4 | 10 |
| Feed structure | Multiple feeds, including “For You” and “Following” | Single feed |
| Close friends lists | Yes | Yes |
| Disappearing messages | No | Yes |
| Integration with other Meta platforms | No | Yes (Instagram) |
| Privacy | Users can control who sees their tweets | Users can control who sees their Threads posts and messages |
| Advertising | Yes | Not yet, but likely to be added in the future |
Privacy Concern
As social media platforms always been accused of privacy issues, this time Threads becoming the alarming concern. After it’s launch, Threads gathering attention from one and another controversies. People slammed Threads of having major privacy issues. The app requires unnecessary permission of access from devices by which it can fetch vital data from your device. The App itself fetch data from Instagram on account opening which is fair as because the sever and company is the same i.e. META. but Threads doesn’t allow deleting your account, You can deactivate but can’t delete it. To delete Thread account one must delete Instagram, peoples are significantly unhappy with this because somehow threads is now being forced.
Towards The Monopoly
In the social media market there so many companies emerging but at the end it only 3 4 companies like META, Twitter or Snapchat. But META is constantly trying to gain monopoly but either acquiring the company or copying the core feature, it is very unhealthy competitive behavior that being shown but META. They bought Instagram, Whatsapp and Copied Snapchat Tiktok are some examples.
This monopoly, if ever happen, will affect the users adversely in terms of data privacy, data breach, benefiting from user resources etc.
What We as User Should Do
We as user should discourage any App that have major privacy issues, unknowingly our personal data is being fetched and stored where they never guarantee it’s security, and also no user wants to share personal data with any company as such.
Data breaches is a concern to worry about and the continuously evolving AI Technology can be used to mold and create anything out of that data. your voices, pictures or videos anything can be altered with such a significant amount of data and it is nearly impossible to find difference and deepfake made by AI.