The unpredictable nature of Twitter during Elon Musk’s tenure has created an opportunity for competition. Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, believes it is a gamble worth taking due to its inherent risks.
Meta has recently launched Threads, a standalone social media platform that aims to rival Twitter. This new app, which is connected to Instagram’s account system, bears a striking resemblance to Twitter, and incorporates numerous features heavily inspired by the popular microblogging platform. However, Meta’s release has sparked concerns over potential legal action from Twitter, led by Elon Musk.
Meta has been in the works of launching Threads, which they describe as a “sensibly managed” alternative to Twitter, for a considerable period of time. Threads, despite being a work in progress, has made notable advancements in its core functionalities. These include features such as profile verification, username changes, a privacy policy, and more.
In the midst of these developments, Twitter, now under the leadership of Elon Musk, has reached its 16th year. However, since Musk took over, the platform has undergone substantial changes that have resulted in the departure of numerous users. As a result, many individuals are now actively searching for alternative platforms.
Exploring the Contrasts and Parallels: A Comparative Analysis of Thread and Twitter
Let’s delve into the topic of accessibility.
While Twitter has been around for over a decade, its evolution has been remarkable in recent years. Initially introduced as a website before the advent of mobile apps, Twitter has undergone significant transformations. In contrast, Threads, following in the footsteps of Instagram, is primarily designed for mobile usage, with the website merely redirecting users to the relevant app stores. This divergence in platform strategies showcases the dynamic nature of these social media platforms and their ever-changing landscape.
Content limitations
Both platforms, Threads and Twitter, offer the ability to share various types of media such as images, videos, GIFs, and links in posts. However, when it comes to sharing GIFs on Threads, they must be saved in your phone’s gallery. On Threads, you can share a text post with up to 500 characters, whereas Twitter imposes a limit of 240 characters for basic account holders. However, if you have a Blue subscription on Twitter, you can Tweet up to 25,000 characters.
Moreover, Twitter allows you to add up to four items to your post, whereas Threads enables you to share up to 10 items, like Instagram’s capability. With Threads, you have more creative freedom when sharing content, thanks to carousel posts. On the other hand, Twitter, being primarily a text-based platform, is not as conducive to incorporating additional content for a more engaging experience.
In addition to tweeting or tagging someone in a tweet, Twitter provides the option to engage in direct messaging, enabling users to have private, one-on-one conversations. Within Twitter’s message box, users can share not only text messages but also links, images, GIFs, and emojis, making the conversation more expressive and interactive.
In contrast, Threads, a feature offered by Twitter, does not have a direct messaging option. However, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has already integrated direct chat features into Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. By refraining from adding a direct messaging feature to Threads, Twitter aims to avoid cluttering users’ inboxes. Considering that most of your friends or followers are likely already on Instagram, reaching out to them through direct messages is not a challenging task.
The User Interface elements
The user interfaces of both Threads and Twitter bear striking similarities. Users are presented with a text box to express their thoughts, and they can engage with content in comparable ways, such as reacting and retweeting or resharing posts.
Even the methods of tagging friends and followers in a post and commenting on posts share similarities. While Twitter utilizes hashtags to ensure that posts reach relevant individuals and enhance an account’s reach, Threads is still in the process of developing such a feature. The virality of a post on Threads depends on the reactions of your friends.
Undoubtedly, Twitter stands out as the swiftest medium for sharing news on a global scale. Its formidable search feature empowers users to explore trending news, keywords, individuals, hashtags, and usernames. However, when it comes to Threads, the search functionality is relatively limited at present. Currently, it only permits users to search for accounts. While it remains uncertain how soon Meta intends to integrate platform-wide search capabilities into Threads, it is possible that such enhancements may materialize in the future.
Currently, the Threads feed offers limited functionality. It merely allows you to view posts from users you follow or trending posts, lacking any options for customizing the feed according to your preferences. At best, Threads provides a feature to mute specific words or individuals, aiding in decluttering your feed on this innovative social media platform.
In contrast, Twitter offers extensive customization options for the content displayed on your feed. If you desire to exclusively see content from the accounts you follow, you can choose the “Following” option. However, if you prefer a slightly relaxed approach and wish to view more relevant material, you can select the “For You” setting, which presents a blend of pertinent content and posts from the accounts you follow.
What’s so special about threads
Prepare to embark on a journey that unveils the remarkable significance of threads, as they establish a bridge between a staggering 100 million users and the fediverse through the ingenious implementation of ActivityPub. What sets ActivityPub apart as the chosen decentralized protocol for Meta’s Threads product? Let’s delve into the reasons behind this deliberate selection:
ActivityPub, being the most mature protocol in the realm of the “fediverse,” was the perfect choice for Meta. However, it’s important to acknowledge the existence of alternative decentralized protocols, such as Tim Berners-Lee’s Solid and Bluesky’s AT Protocol. Nonetheless, ActivityPub aligns seamlessly with Meta’s vision and objectives, and here’s where the magic lies:
Within the ActivityPub framework, your identity and data are expertly managed by the server. When you become a part of platforms like Mastodon, you place your trust in the server, or as they call it, the “instance,” you join. Ryan Barrett, a prominent fediverse developer, succinctly stated in a recent post that your ActivityPub identity, data, and administration are intricately tied to your chosen instance, driven by both technical and cultural considerations. This architecture empowers your instance to make moderation decisions on your behalf, providing a sense of control. While the freedom to migrate to a different instance remains, the transfer of your data, including posts and media, between instances is not feasible.
Threads and ActivityPub epitomize the harmonious fusion of innovation and user-centric principles. As Meta paves the way for enhanced connectivity and user experiences, the power of threads emerges as a testament to the transformative potential of decentralized networks.
Unlock the endless possibilities of threads and embrace a future where connections thrive, seamlessly transcending boundaries and revolutionizing social interactions.
The Impact of Success on Twitter
Is the success of Twitter leading to its downfall? In my opinion, that is not the case. Over time, it has become evident that there is ample space for multiple players in different domains. While network effects and competition certainly exist, numerous countries worldwide demonstrate the presence of major players in the social sphere. These players encompass messaging, stories, feeds, and various combinations thereof. Take Brazil, for instance. Instagram has gained tremendous popularity in Brazil, while WhatsApp status holds enormous sway. Despite their already massive presence, both platforms have continued to experience rapid growth in recent years.
In my view, Twitter will persist and thrive. Its success lies in fostering a vibrant community, especially one that caters to creators. Unlike many other social networks, Twitter serves as a public space where a small number of individuals produce the majority of content consumed by the masses. Therefore, it is the creators, rather than the average users seeking entertainment, who play a crucial role.
A thriving community of culturally relevant creators is what we aim for. While achieving a substantial user base would be fantastic, I am more interested in Twitter becoming culturally significant and attracting hundreds of millions of users. However, the coming months or even years will unveil the true trajectory of its growth.