Threads, a Twitter competitor, changes the game.

Threads, Meta's Twitter alternative, launched today as Elon Musk's platform's users flee.

Instagram-integrated threads The new app, "Threads, an Instagram app," is described on Apple's app store as "Instagram's text-based conversation app."

Since Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, the rollout challenges Twitter's many controversies.

Before Thursday's launch, Instagram's Threads app appeared in the Apple app store on Tuesday. Meta has a release countdown website.

Threads are where communities discuss everything from today's hot topics to tomorrow's. "Whatever you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favourite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world," says the app's store description.

RMIT University Prof. Lisa Given said the launch of Threads as a competitor to Twitter is a gamechanger. Other platforms have attempted to serve as alternatives to Twitter since Elon Musk took over, with limited success

“What may give Threads an edge is that it's a text-feed platform that looks and feels like Twitter;  it’s linked to Instagram, so will enable people to use their same username; and  people will be able to engage with their Instagram followers, directly”, said Prof. Given.

She said This last point is critical. People are not just looking for something that offers similar functionality to Twitter. They want a platform where they can quickly find people they’re already engaging with so they can maintain social connections and not have to “start over” to build their community when they transition to a new platform.

“Instagram is already facilitating this by launching a ‘cheat’ for users to be among the first to download the new app by searching for ‘thread’ or ‘threads’ in Instagram’s search box and clicking on the red ‘admit one’ ticket icon to the right of the search box. She added that many users already have thousands of trusted followers and have built communities of like-minded people.

Prof. Given also said Journalists and the public, for example, used Twitter to connect with experts and the original ‘blue ticks’ gave people certainty that they were engaging with authoritative sources.

“If Meta's Threads can keep the features people love, not charge fees, offer easy access to existing followers, and provide a mechanism to verify accounts (especially to manage misinformation), it may well become a viable replacement for Twitter and increase the mass exodus that has already begun from Twitter’s core user base.” She disclosed

Thread's launch follows Twitter's restructuring under Tesla owner Elon Musk, who fired thousands and put many features behind a paywall.

Meta announced in mid-March that it was developing a Twitter-like social network.

Mastodon and Blue Sky have gained users since Musk's acquisition, but neither can compete with Twitter.

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