In a recent announcement, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Threads, a new app developed by the Instagram team. This app aims to provide a separate platform for real-time updates and public conversations through text. Zuckerberg also expressed the intention to make Threads compatible with open, interoperable social networks, highlighting its potential impact on shaping the future of the internet.
Instagram, a platform that connects billions of individuals through photos and videos, aims to leverage its success by expanding into the realm of text-based content with Threads. The goal is to create a positive and creative space for users to express their ideas through text, following and connecting with friends and creators who share similar interests. Additionally, Instagram's existing suite of safety and user controls will be available on Threads.
Getting started with Threads is seamless, as users can simply log in using their Instagram accounts. Their usernames and verification will carry over, and they have the option to customize their profiles specifically for Threads. Notably, users under the age of 16 (or 18 in certain countries) will automatically have private profiles upon joining Threads. They can choose to follow the same accounts as on Instagram and discover new individuals who share their interests. Accessibility features such as screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, already present on Instagram, are also enabled on Threads.
The Threads feed consists of posts by followed accounts and recommended content from new creators yet to be discovered. Posts can contain up to 500 characters, links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length. Sharing Threads posts to Instagram stories or other platforms is made effortless.
Threads has been designed with tools to foster positive and productive conversations. Users have control over who can mention or reply to their posts, with the ability to add hidden words to filter out unwanted replies. Similar to Instagram, users can unfollow, block, restrict, or report profiles on Threads, and any accounts blocked on Instagram will be automatically blocked on Threads. Safety remains a priority, with enforcement of Instagram's Community Guidelines on content and interactions within the app. The development team's commitment to user protection is evident through their significant investments in safety measures, totaling over $16 billion since 2016.
Excitingly, Threads aims to become compatible with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). ActivityPub enables interoperability with other apps that support the protocol, such as Mastodon and WordPress. This compatibility would enable novel connections and interactions that are currently limited on most social apps. Other platforms, including Tumblr, have expressed plans to support the ActivityPub protocol in the future.
The Threads team emphasizes providing users with more control over their audience. Collaborating with ActivityPub would allow users to switch to other services while transferring their content from Threads. The vision is to enable people using compatible apps to follow and interact with Threads users without requiring a Threads account, thereby fostering diverse and interconnected networks. Public profiles on Threads would make posts accessible from other apps, expanding users' reach effortlessly. Private profiles would retain the ability to approve users who want to follow and engage with their content, mirroring the Instagram experience.
Beyond enhanced social connections, open social networking protocols offer benefits in terms of innovation and user experiences. Developers can build new features and plug into other open social networks, accelerating the pace of innovation and experimentation. Each compatible app can establish its own community standards and content moderation policies, allowing users to choose spaces that align with their values. This decentralized approach, akin to the protocols governing email and the web, is expected to play a significant role in the future of online platforms.
Threads represents Meta's first foray into an app compatible with an open social networking protocol. By joining this fast-growing ecosystem of interoperable services, Threads aims to assist users in finding their communities, regardless of the apps they use.
Threads is now available for download in over 100 countries on iOS and Android platforms. As Threads continues to evolve, new features are on the horizon, including improved recommendations in the feed and a more robust search function for real-time topic and trend following.
The feedback from users will undoubtedly play a crucial role as the Threads team works to introduce exciting features and new ways to connect on the app.
Weather the Threads will be a success or not but Meta surely has an upper hand in social networking apps and its vast user database adds more points to predict Threads success.
Thankyou for reading all through it. Keep reading keep learning, be informed stay alert.
