Meta launches conversation application Threads

Meta released Threads, a conversation application aimed at competing with Twitter. Threads allow users to sign in using their existing Instagram account, with a minimum age requirement of 12. If users are under 16 (or under 18 in specific countries), their Threads accounts will automatically have a private profile setting. Users can submit up to 500 characters in Threads, including links, images, and videos in one post. Threads has a privacy policy in the app store that states it can collect various data types from its users. This includes information related to health and fitness, financial details, contact information, search history, and purchases, among other categories.

Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey criticised the data collection policy of the Threads, stating, ‘All your Threads belong to us.’ Dorsey has also recently introduced his alternative app called Bluesky Social, which is currently in the testing phase and accessible by invitation only. There is no specified timeline for when Bluesky Social will be made available to the public.

According to the Economist, Meta’s previous success in cloning rivals like Instagram Stories and Reels suggests that Threads could gain traction. Additionally, Meta’s access to user data from its other apps allows for targeted advertising, a feature that Twitter lacks.

The launch of Threads also provides Meta with valuable text data for its AI projects, giving the company a new growth opportunity.

While Twitter’s business is smaller and faces content moderation and user engagement challenges, Meta sees an opportunity to capitalise on these weaknesses and potentially emerge as the social media leader.