Users can start with Threads by using their existing Instagram account to log in and the Instagram username and verification will be carried over to the new social media app with the option to personalise the profile particularly for Threads
Meta’s new app Threads is expected to challenge Twitter. (Credit: Nokia621/Wikimedia Commons)
Social technology company Meta has introduced the initial version of a new app, dubbed Threads, for sharing text updates and joining public conversations.
Threads, built by the Instagram team, offers a new and separate space for real-time updates and for expressing ideas.
Meta said that it is working towards making the new text sharing app compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that are believed to have the potential to shape the future of the internet.
According to various media reports, the rollout of Threads is a direct challenge to Twitter.
Users can start with Threads by using their Instagram account to log in. The Instagram username and verification will be carried over to the new app and will also have the option to personalise the profile particularly for Threads.
Meta said that the fundamental accessibility features available on Instagram, including screen reader support and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image descriptions are also available on Threads.
The posts on Threads can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos with a maximum length of five minutes.
Users are allowed to seamlessly share a Threads post to their Instagram story or share post as a link on any other platform they choose.
The new microblogging platform incorporates tools to enable users to manage who can mention or reply to their posts and they can filter out specific words in thread replies. The app also offers safety features such as blocking, restricting, and reporting profiles.
Meta stated: “Threads is Meta’s first app envisioned to be compatible with an open social networking protocol – we hope that by joining this fast-growing ecosystem of interoperable services, Threads will help people find their community, no matter what app they use.”
The social technology company is also planning to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, the open social networking protocol set up by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
The Threads app, accessible on iOS and Android, is presently operational in more than 100 countries. Meta’s upcoming strategy includes the implementation of a variety of new features designed to improve content exploration and streamline tracking of real-time trends and topics.