Meta Launches New Social Media App 'Threads' To Rival Twitter (theverge.com) 45
Instagram's new Twitter competitor called Threads launched today on the web, providing an early look at what to expect from the app that will launch on iOS and Android tomorrow. You can view the web interface here. The Verge reports: Meta briefly made Threads available on the web before pulling profiles offline a few hours later. The Verge was able to access Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's first thread (is that what we call them?!) using the web app, and many other brands and creators including Netflix, Gary Vee, and Instagram.
The web interface is fairly basic right now for viewing threads, with options to like, comment, repost, and share -- all prompting you to download the mobile app for the time being. If you're in an unsupported country, like markets in the EU, then you'll only be able to view threads right now. Much like Twitter, you can view an account's main posts in one section and the full reply history in another.
Fediverse integration won't be available immediately at the launch of Threads, but it's clear Instagram is looking to add this soon. Profiles include an Instagram username and link, with a threads.net label that includes the following description: "Soon, you'll be able to follow and interact with people on other fediverse platforms, like Mastodon. They can also find people on Threads using full usernames, like @zuck@threads.net."
The web interface is fairly basic right now for viewing threads, with options to like, comment, repost, and share -- all prompting you to download the mobile app for the time being. If you're in an unsupported country, like markets in the EU, then you'll only be able to view threads right now. Much like Twitter, you can view an account's main posts in one section and the full reply history in another.
Fediverse integration won't be available immediately at the launch of Threads, but it's clear Instagram is looking to add this soon. Profiles include an Instagram username and link, with a threads.net label that includes the following description: "Soon, you'll be able to follow and interact with people on other fediverse platforms, like Mastodon. They can also find people on Threads using full usernames, like @zuck@threads.net."
Light Brown Pile of Shit Vs Dark Brown Pile (Score:5, Funny)
But one advertises as having corn for texture.
Slashdot at least covers one of those turds... (Score:2, Offtopic)
Meanwhile, half a dozen user Firehose submissions about the latest Musko fiasco [theguardian.com] are just sitting there.
Why wasn't any one of those submissions posted on the front page? Or why didn't the Slashdot staff do it on their own?
FFS There is a decent chance he's literally DDOS-ing himself [waxy.org] and "former genius" that he is, he keeps making it worse.
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As I was saying before some turd-loving snowflake got offended by reality and tried to mod it down...
Meanwhile, half a dozen user Firehose submissions about the latest Musko fiasco [theguardian.com] are just sitting there.
Why wasn't any one of those submissions posted on the front page? Or why didn't the Slashdot staff do it on their own?
FFS There is a decent chance he's literally DDOS-ing himself [waxy.org] and "former genius" that he is, he keeps making it worse.
Or maybe it's a Musk-loving snowflake... But I'm repeating myself.
Looks like you put out this press release early (Score:1)
At the time I am writing the link in the summary does not show you the Threads UI, it takes you to an animated spinning gallery with a countdown that has about 30 minutes to go, and a QR ride ti get the app (which is out Friday).
Probably should have waited to publish this SlashDot story/press release a bit longer...
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Yes it "works for you" after a 30 minute timer I mentioned in my original post had expired (your post is around 45 minutes after mine).
In related news (Score:3, Funny)
Republicans have filed a preliminary lawsuit because they feel Threads is silencing their minority viewpoints.
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Republicans have filed a preliminary lawsuit because they feel Threads is silencing their minority viewpoints.
And not silencing other minorities' viewpoints.
But not in EU.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Really? (Score:1)
But not in EU..
Isn't a pre-condition for any Twitter-slayer that it run internationally???
It seems really odd that Meta would not have Threads run internationally when Instagram does!
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Indeed, but that was already implied in "Meta".
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We have Mastodon, but its distributed nature seems to be the cause of it feeling a bit empty and siloed.
There is Blue Sky, but invites are not coming very quickly.
Neither have politicians posting stuff, which is one of the best aspects of Twitter. I know, why would you want to listen to another liar? Not all politicians have their staff post for them, and some you can actually engage in a conversation with like a normal human being. It's something that the mainstream media doesn't offer, and it can be quite
Emotional Immaturity, Billionaire Style (Score:3)
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Both Musk and Zuckerberg need to seek counseling. Seriously. They're having a tantrum while forcing the whole world to watch. If they were my children, I'd send them to their rooms until they could behave appropriately for their ages.
In the case of Twitter, the whole world can't watch because Google has obliterated [rawstory.com] search results for Twitter postings after the latest shenanigans by Musk.
As a side note, Twitter has silently stopped requiring people [techcrunch.com] to be signed into an account to view postings. However, the links I had previously saved are still not working while I have found others which are working. Possible replication issue.
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I’m actually kind of happy that twitter doesn’t show up in search results. Maybe make that a separate feature.
Re:Emotional Immaturity, Billionaire Style (Score:5, Funny)
As a side note, Twitter has silently stopped requiring people [techcrunch.com] to be signed into an account to view postings.
Oh, thank goodness. Huffington Post was worried they were going to have to shut down, since all of their articles amount to one or two sentences followed by several dozen embedded Tweets.
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More seriously - apparently Twitter has also "quietly" fixed some filter problems that have been broken for several weeks (with me logged into Twitter, if that matters). I hadn't been going there much lately because Musk has turned the service into a broken worthless mess - but, after the GP's post, I decided the check it out again.
Things are actually working as they're supposed to be! Let's see how long that continues, though...
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Is a non-penis-shaped rocket even possible?
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I imagine them getting counseling like in Silicon Valley where Gavin has the "guru" type who just affirms every decision they make
I guess it's better than Trump Twitter (Score:3)
There. I said it.
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There. I said it.
Presenting a group-approved "correct" opinion. So brave.
Wouldn't it be funny... (Score:2)
Tumblr refugees (Score:2)
The groups that fled Tumblr for the FBI-run Twitter would be much safer on Threads than the Musk-run Twitter.
Somebody please help them migrate.
Announcements (Score:2)
I remember people making fun of Twitter and the concept of micro-blogging when it launched (who cares what you had for breakfast?)
And they were right, micro-blogging under Twitter was always kinda niche.
The thing that Twitter actually did succeed at is announcements.
Absolutely anyone from companies, journalists, musicians, random famous individuals, and ordinary people could put out a mini announcement / statement and anyone in the world could interact with it.
The underlying tech for that has been around si
Watch it fail in 3...2...1... (Score:2)
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Zuck/Meta currently have the anti-Midas touch. There's no common word that I know to use for the opposite of "goodwill", but oh boy they've amassed it like Scrooge McDuck gathered coins in his gold pool
"Ill will" fits your description quite nicely:
https://dictionary.cambridge.o... [cambridge.org]
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What is an individual post called? (Score:1)
A "thret"?
Now it makes sense (Score:3)
I've recently noticed my Facebook feed is now full of recommended and sponsored garbage and very little content from the people I actually follow. Seems to me they've perfected their clone of Twitter's algorithm.
If I wanted that, I could just use Twitter.
Ugh, yet another social media platform (Score:2)
Just what we need. Place your bets now on how long it takes for the lowest common denominator to rule...
Makes no sense (Score:4, Interesting)
I understand that Facebook is not cool any more and Meta wants to own its replacement, but it still makes no sense.
First, there already is Facebook, that is a competitor to Twitter, Threads will compete both with Twitter and Facebook, Meta will cannibalize its own users.
Second, it make no sense to divide your posts and your audience. If I want to post something and do it on Meta services, where do I post, on Instagram, on Threads, on Facebook or on all of them?
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If I want to post something and do it on Meta services, where do I post
If it is not obvious where to post then perhaps you needn't post at all?
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I think Facebook is slowly dying and Meta knows it. As you said yourself, they're trying to own its replacement. So it is better to them that Facebook users migrate to Threads than to completely lose them to other platforms.
About dividing posts and audiences is by no means a new thing for most companies and influencers. It already happens for a long time with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, among others. If we go even further, this also happened with newspapers, magazines, radio and TV a long tim
Great naming (Score:4, Informative)
Threads also is the name of a 1984 anti nuclear war movie. It's one of those movies that start out comparatively cheerful by showing normal people in front of the background of rising political tensions culminating in an atomic bomb detonated over the UK. Then it takes a dark turn by showing you society falling apart in every detail. This is accompanied by a documentation like narration which prevents you from distancing yourself from what is shown.
It's funny (Score:1)
...how the left hated on Zuckerberg as public enemy #1 for daring to allow the Orange Tyrant to get elected, until Musk became the new enemy for his apostasy.
How curiously Zuckerberg is now the defender of freedom.
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How curiously Zuckerberg is now the defender of freedom.
The only place I've heard anyone say that is in your post.
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Right, it's only the legions of leftist users flocking there, fleeing the alt-Right tyrant Musk.
It's only the mass media organizations - who formerly flat-out attacked FB and Zuck as nigh-unto agents of the Orange Baboon Lord for *heinously* allowing CA* to gather data almost exactly like Mr Obama's campaign had the cycle previously - who now publish articles about how "Threads" is going to DOOM Twitter (gleeful chuckle implied, not explicit)....?
*Or have we forgotten Cambridge Analytica entirely now?
Mastodon (Score:2)
I can't see them eventually interacting via Threads with people on Mastodon
I've found the conversations to be much more interesting on Mastodon than other platforms.