Threads is an online social media and networking service managed by Meta Platforms. This application allows users to share text, images, and videos while engaging with other users through responses, reposts and likes. It has close integration with Meta’s Instagram platform, requiring users to have an Instagram account and use Threads under the same Instagram handle. Threads’ functionality is comparable to X (previously known as Twitter). The app is accessible on both iOS and Android devices, with the web version having limited functionality and requiring a prior mobile app installation. Notably, Threads achieved the distinction of being the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, garnering over 100 million users within its first five days—a record that surpassed the previous achievement set by ChatGPT. However, the app’s initial success was not sustained, witnessing a significant decline as the user base plummeted by more than 80%, reaching 8 million daily active users by the end of July.
Meta’s Threads has introduced a new capability that enables users to prevent their posts from being recommended on other major apps within the social media conglomerate, including Instagram and Facebook. Currently, Threads posts are suggested in the feeds of Instagram and Facebook users. Users seeking to avoid this suggestion can go to the privacy section of their Threads app, select “Suggesting posts on other apps,” and disable the toggles for Facebook and Instagram.
In the announcement of this update, Threads stated, “We’ve launched an update to make it easier for people to see the latest content from Threads directly on Facebook and Instagram.” However, the company acknowledged user concerns and assured users that they are attentive to feedback: “But we’re listening to feedback like yours as we continue to build on this.” This feature was introduced to revitalize engagement on Threads during a period when the platform encountered challenges after its initial launch, as reported by The Verge. Despite the initial hurdles, user engagement on the platform has shown improvement. According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads now boasts just under 100 million users returning monthly, and he remains optimistic that Threads could become Meta’s next app to reach the 1 billion user mark.
Launched in July of the current year, Threads seeks to rival Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) by positioning itself as a “public square for communities.” Recently, the company introduced a range of new features designed to enhance user engagement. These include options to view post counts, create polls, generate GIFs, check view counts for posts, and add pinned posts to user profiles.