07/07/2023

How Threads Could Kill Twitter

Meta’s app has advantages over Twitter’s would-be rivals

The announcement of Threads, Meta’s Instagram-Twitter hybrid, had been met with confusion and skepticism. Then, when it launched yesterday, 30 million people signed up within hours.

Threads, the latest of Meta’s copycat innovations, faces a long slog in its bid to topple Twitter as the microblogging platform of choice. It has jumped into a feeding frenzy for users that has grown increasingly heated since Elon Musk bought the platform last year. But Threads comes with big potential, thanks to its polished tech, built-in user base and a reputation for better moderation that’s likely to please big-money advertisers.

The platform also arrives at a particularly weak moment for Twitter. Musk’s recent announcement that free Twitter accounts would, temporarily, only be able to view 600 tweets per day was met with derision. Such moves will likely further hurt advertising on the platform—worsening a crisis that’s been ongoing throughout Musk’s tenure.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.