UK TREND: The Public’s Reaction to the new app Threads

7 July 2023

On July 5, Meta—the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp—launched Threads, a new app that closely resembles Twitter’s conversation-based format. Threads quickly gained traction, attracting 10 million users within just a few hours of its release. This rapid growth poses a serious threat to Twitter, which, in contrast, took 780 days to reach the same user milestone when it went live to the public back in July 2006.

Threads application: a new application that competes with Twitter

The new application of Threads (Unsplash) — The new application Threads (Unsplash)

Since the app’s launch, social media platforms have seen trending hashtags such as #Threads and #GoodByeTwitter. Users have been actively sharing their opinions on which app they believe is superior and whether they will transition from Twitter to exclusively using Threads for expressing their thoughts.

#Threads by #Meta gained 30 million users in less then 16 hours‼️ pic.twitter.com/euhGdgMmk3

— ILONSI (@ILONSI_OFFICIAL) July 6, 2023

Within 24 hours of its release, the Threads app gained immense popularity, leading social media users to mock the situation through memes. One such meme depicted the Twitter logo on a gravestone, with Mark Zuckerberg laughing beside it, symbolizing how the rapid rise of Threads could potentially lead to the demise of Twitter.

20 million users and it hasn’t been 24 hours yet.#Threads #threadapp #Meta pic.twitter.com/AWHYaqTn3G

— Yamaan Shahid  (@realYamaan) July 6, 2023

Amidst the intense day of managing their social media accounts on various platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, social media users took to sharing humorous videos that showcased the challenges of navigating between these apps.

https://twitter.com/YVNGPADDY/status/1677066839698833412?s=20

In an ironic twist, users couldn’t help but comment on the Threads app trending on Twitter itself.

https://twitter.com/heavenlyy_hell/status/1677004778994270226?s=20

There was no shortage of mockery as users pointed out the striking similarities between the Threads app and Twitter. They humorously speculated on Mark Zuckerberg’s attempts to highlight the differences between the two, emphasizing that, in essence, the apps are essentially identical.

zuckerberg explaining how threads is different to twitter #threadapp #twitter pic.twitter.com/6WIqZAGOPv

— Gold (@itsGold01) July 6, 2023

Despite the buzz surrounding the Threads app, some loyal Twitter users made it clear that they had little interest in the new app and intended to stick with and prefer using Twitter.

https://twitter.com/vikassharmaaap_/status/1677015326297591808?s=20

After trying out the Threads app, some users openly expressed their verdict, deeming it as nothing more than a poor imitation of Twitter.

https://twitter.com/Abdelhak_bnr/status/1677060520434647042?s=20