The Musk-Zuckerberg battle continues as Facebook/Meta’s new social media app, Threads, was launched last week. In its first 24 hours, the Twitter challenger attracted 30 million users, a number which has now grown to 100 million and counting. At that rate of growth, Threads looks set to overtake Twitter’s user base of 350 million users, not to mention the disenchantment of many Tweeters following Elon Musk’s takeover of the company. One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to note the timing of this new social media app and it’s believed that Twitter is now taking legal action against Meta for allegedly hiring ex Twitter employees still in possession of trade secrets and said to be using them in the new app.
Is Threads Just Another Rant Soapbox?
As if we don’t have enough of these around already, the masses are flocking to Zuckerberg’s new app in their millions. But Threads, a name that will forever remind me of the 1984 TV film about a catastrophic nuclear war, is not exactly a standalone app because an Instagram account is required which for me, is a non-starter if I were to consider signing up for it, which I’m not. Delete your Threads profile and you delete your Instagram profile as well.
Elon Musk, on taking over Twitter, remarked that it had become the de facto town square, a bold claim which doesn’t recognise that it’s the Internet itself that is the real town square. My experience of these so-called soapboxes is negative, to say the least, as they seem to be filled with agenda-driven, attention seekers who like nothing better than picking an argument.
Also, one wonders how Threads users will be referred to – Threaders who Thread and have Threaded?
But I digress. It would be hard to disagree with Meta’s timing and strategy, especially since Instagram now has nearly 2 billion global users, and signing up to Threads is a simple case of signing on with your Instagram account if you have one. But for me, one of Threads’ biggest failings is that there’s no desktop or web version, which there are for Instagram and Twitter. So, in order to see what it looks like and how it works, you have little choice but to sign up with your phone.
Musk-Zuckerberg Cage Fight?
This needs to be on the menu as dessert, please, so make it happen. Apparently, both billionaires are up for this cage fight, but who would have the edge? Musk, 51, for his sheer physical size or Zuckerberg, 39, for his MMA (mixed martial arts) experience? I for one would find this exhibition far more entertaining than reading endless drivel on Twitter or Threads. In fact, I propose a Vegas location with ticket sales proceeds going to charity, the loser resigning as CEO, and the winner taking over as head of his competitor’s company.
Will you be signing up with Threads?
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