Instagram Threads has just been launched with over 10 million people downloading the app in the first seven hours alone. This new app developed by the team at Instagram introduces a dedicated space for real-time updates and public conversations.
“Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to 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 the people you follow on Instagram and beyond. And you can use our existing suite of safety and user controls.” – Mark Zuckerberg
In this article, we’ll explore the key features of Instagram Threads and its vision for compatibility with open, interoperable social networks which they believe can shape the future of the internet.
Threads seamlessly integrates with your Instagram account, providing a seamless login process. You can personalise your profile specifically for Threads while enjoying the ability to follow friends, creators, and like-minded individuals who share your interests across Instagram and beyond. Building upon Instagram’s user controls, Threads brings a new dimension to communication and community building.
It presents a dynamic feed that showcases threads posted by the accounts you follow, along with recommended content from new creators you may not have discovered yet. With Threads, you can share updates of up to 500 characters, including links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long. You can amplify your reach by seamlessly by sharing Threads posts to your Instagram story or through link-sharing features on various platforms.
This new app is committed to fostering positive and meaningful conversations. It empowers users with tools to control who can mention them or reply to their threads. Hidden words filters allow you to filter out replies containing specific words, enabling a more tailored conversation experience. Similar to Instagram, you can unfollow, block, restrict, or report profiles effortlessly. Instagram’s Community Guidelines are strictly enforced, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all users.
Threads is poised to embrace interoperability by working toward compatibility with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This ambitious step would enable seamless connections and interactions between Threads and other apps supporting the ActivityPub protocol, such as Mastodon and WordPress. By embracing interoperability, Threads seeks to unlock new connections and possibilities, revolutionizing the way we engage with social media platforms.
Direct Competitor to Twitter
As Threads enters the social media arena, it is essential to understand its place among other platforms. Meta, the parent company behind Facebook & Instagram, aims to position Threads as a competitor to Twitter. While Twitter primarily focuses on public conversations, Threads aims to provide a dedicated space for real-time updates and conversations that connect users in more intimate and meaningful ways.
Overall Thoughts
Instagram Threads represents a significant evolution in how we communicate and connect through heavily text-based updates. With its seamless integration with Instagram, engaging feed, media sharing capabilities, and focus on positive conversations, Threads empowers users to build communities and express themselves authentically. As Threads progresses toward interoperability, it opens the door to a new era of diverse and interconnected social networks.
Future Plans for Threads
Threads is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in over 100 countries. As Threads continues to evolve, exciting new features and compatibility advancements with open social networking protocols are on the horizon.
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