Instagram, Facebook owner Meta to launch ‘Twitter’ rival Threads: Here’s all you may want to know

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Threads, a Twitter-like social media platform, is scheduled to launch on July 6, offering an alternative to the increasingly unpopular Twitter. In a move inspired by the trend of social media platforms borrowing features from one another, Instagram is taking it a step further by introducing Threads, a new standalone application deeply intertwined with Instagram. Although limited details are available about the app, it is known that Threads will feature a timeline similar to Twitter and allow users to link their Instagram accounts.

Mark Zuckerberg seems to be throwing a different kind of punch with this platform, aiming to capitalize on Twitter's recent decline in users and advertisers due to Elon Musk's continuous changes in features and policies. Threads present several unique aspects. Existing Instagram users can seamlessly transition to Threads using their current usernames, handles and verification status.

Moreover, Instagram will notify users' followers about the new platform, facilitating the migration of their audience. Additionally, Instagram's blocklist will carry over to Threads, and users will have the freedom to post updates of up to 500 words, a significant contrast to Twitter's character limit. Unlike Twitter's restriction on sharing links from rival platforms like Mastodon and Instagram, Threads is expected to be interoperable with Mastodon, utilizing the ActivityPub protocol.

This move enables more connectivity between different platforms. While Threads is yet to be officially announced, users can anticipate its release on July 6. The availability of the app may vary depending on factors, such as location, device compatibility and account eligibility.