CARLOS BONILLA
On July 6, Threads, a social network of microblogging, which is what those created to publish short messages are called. It was created by Meta, the company that owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why it was developed by the latter’s team.
It is a mix between Twitter and Mastodon, which will offer the advantages of both. It is a social network linked to Instagram, in such a way that your accounts on both networks are part of a whole. That is why, just 7 hours after it started, it reached more than 10 million users.
It is as if a Twitter had been created within Instagram, but with a separate app. In fact, new users don’t need to sign up for Threads if they already have an Instagram account.
Threads is a new app for sharing text and joining public conversations. Posts can be up to 500 characters and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long. The developers say that it will soon be compatible with the open and interoperable social networks that are the future of the Internet.
The creators of Threads are working to make this new social network soon compatible with ActivityPub, the open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the body responsible for the open standards that drive the modern web. This will make Threads interoperate with other apps that also support the ActivityPub protocol, such as Mastodon and WordPress, allowing for new kinds of connections that simply aren’t possible in most social apps today. Other platforms, including Tumblr, have shared plans to support the ActivityPub protocol in the future.
Mark Zuckerberg says that the initial version of Threads offers creators and casual fans a new and independent space for real-time updates and public conversations.
Instagram is where billions of people around the world connect through photos and videos. One of Threads’ goals is to “take what Instagram does best and expand it into text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas. Just like on Instagram, with Threads you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests, including people you follow on Instagram and beyond. And you can use our existing set of security and user controls,” says Zuckerberg.
Everyone under the age of 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) will have a default private profile when they join Threads. You can choose to follow the same accounts that open on Instagram and find more people who care about the same things. Major accessibility features available on Instagram today, like screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions, are also enabled in Threads.
Just like on Instagram, hidden words can be added to filter replies to your threads that contain specific words. You can unfollow someone, block, close, or report a profile on Threads by tapping on the three-dot menu, and any account you’ve blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads.
Regarding security. Zuckerberg states: “We take security seriously and will enforce Instagram’s community guidelines for content and in-app interactions. Since 2016, we have invested more than $16 billion in developing the equipment and technologies necessary to protect our users, and we remain focused on advancing our investments and industry-leading integrity to protect our community, 2 phone screens that show the Mentions and hidden words controls in threads”.
As the first Meta app designed to support an open social networking protocol, Threads by joining the ecosystem of interoperable services is expected to help people find their community, no matter what app they use.