In world where there is no longer any ingenuity; Mark Zuckerberg continues to be a pioneer of this mundane social media frontier. As the innovator known for stealing other social media platforms unique POVs and ideas. There really wasn’t much high expectations for the billionaire’s Instagram Threads, which is Zuck’s answer to the slowly dying blue bird app, Twitter.
Out of sheer boredom and at the request of some of our readers; we decided to go check out Threads. And what we saw was, well… laughable. Here’s everything you need to know in order to go running, screaming back to the cesspool of Elon’s Twitter (if you want to); or just about any other still functioning social media brand.
First of all, when it comes to Threads you HAVE to have an Instagram account to even login and start an account. Most likely this was done due to all the people who have deactivated or straight up left Instagram due to it becoming drier than the Sahara desert in terms of activity. Therefore, most likely Mark saw this as a way to regain back some of his “lost” business.
What’s even worst than that… is that Zuck basically locks users into an agreement worse than the sea witch, Ursula trapped Ariel into. In a nutshell, if you decide Instagram Threads is not for you; (and trust us, it’ll only take you a few moments), and you want to delete your account, you will also simultaneously have to delete your Instagram account. Like… why the threat Zuck? Lol. Seriously, don’t tempt us all with a good time; a good chunk of us are only barely hanging onto our Instagram accounts anyway!
Threads by Instagram- Proof About Account Deletion
Nevertheless, don’t just take our word for it. Here is what a fellow user of Twitter who found out the hard way about deleting a Threads account.
Crazy right? Plus, the fact that people already wanted to delete their accounts from the app as fast as they made them, is very telling. However, all Zuck saw is a way to try to hold people hostage within his network, excuse us, “universe” of platforms.
Nevertheless, if you have to attempt to hold on to people that tough, are you really winning and succeeding? We’ll let you ponder that and decide for yourself. While you do that, scroll on to read some more reasons why Twitter is currently superior to Threads.
But first…
However, not to worry, things may change soon in terms of account deletion. Yay. An Instagram executive (Adam Mosseri) is claiming,
“I’ve been getting some questions about deleting your account. To clarify, you can deactivate your Threads account, which hides your Threads profile and content, you can set your profile to private, and you can delete individual threads posts – all without deleting your Instagram account. Threads is powered by Instagram, so right now it’s just one account, but we’re looking into a way to delete your Threads account separately.”
Instagram Threads Versus Twitter-All the Reasons Zuck’s App Already Is Kinda Boring
Although Twitter keeps getting worse day by day. Like with the dumb “rate limit exceeded” notifications preventing users from seeing tweets (even their OWN); after hitting various thresholds, depending if you are a Twitter Blue subscriber or new/old account. The blue bird still soars higher than Threads.
On the Threads app there’s just one big feed. Filled with a bunch of celebrities, brands and individuals you did not follow or probably didn’t even want to see. If you can swim over the sea of verified check marks, you will quickly notice you’re not really seeing anything that interesting.
No news. No sports. Just a bit of randomness.
Where Zuck is going wrong, is that he’s not copying what people love most about Twitter. First of all, on Twitter you have a choice of what you want to see and engage with; not what someone forces down your throat.
For example, you can see tweets from people you follow. Also, you can see what’s trending and DECIDE what trending topic you want to look more into and possibly comment on, quote or retweet about.
Furthermore, you can search about a certain topic and see what people are saying about it. On Threads, under the search section you are greeted by more verified check marks and can only search for people to follow. Additionally, hashtags do not work yet, so you are basically stuck with one big feed that everyone is dumping posts into for viewing.
Twitter Versus Instagram Threads- This Literally Feels Like IG Still
Besides no hashtags, or categories or trending topics to go peruse under; the Threads app is only currently, an app. There is no desktop version as of yet. Therefore, if you were hoping to hop online on your computer and get busy, you will be a little disappointed.
However, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, is already acknowledging that this app is beyond basic. But he promises that things will change in the future. He states,
“We couldn’t be happier with all the excitement about this app, so thank you thank you, but this is a race to the starting line if there ever was one.
The real test is not if we can build up a lot of hype, but if you all find enough value in the app to keep using it over time. And there are tons of basics that are missing: search, hashtags, a following feed, graph syncing, fedeverse support, messaging maybe…
We’re on it. The (amazing) team is cranking away. But full disclosure, it’ll take time.”
How to Deal With Hate Speech
One of the growing issues on social media are people saying some very unkind or obscene things towards each other. It creates a very toxic environment that no one wants to be apart of for long. Is Threads prepared to handle this problem?
Once again, Adam is chiming in on this particular issue. Early into the launch of Threads, which hit a whooping 10 million users in just 7 hours; Mosseri made a separate thread on this particular topic. He shared this pic:
Then he had this to say about dealing with bullying, harassment or wanting not to see different negative perspectives. He reveals,
“Hidden gem: Those of you who don’t know hidden words is a great feature that allows you to hide replies or messages using specific words on both Instagram and Threads. You can also add your own custom words to the list if you’re getting harassed or brigated I need some help managing all the inbound. 💎 #hiddengems”
Threads by Mark Zuckerberg- Means No Visibility
Want visibility? Well, on Instagram Threads you’re not bound to find much of it so far. Zuck’s new shiny Twitter knockout feels very similar to Instagram.
Everything is dedicated to the advantage of people who have check marks. They’re the ones who are mostly seen in the current “feed” or timeline. Also, there’s a section dedicated to your interactions with a person or individual with a check mark under your engagement/activity. Furthermore, they’re all you see if you want to search for a certain account.
The app is already showing signs of social media classism. Check marks and subscribers, versus the people who are just there to vibe for free. Yes, businesses must make money to stay in business, but the subscription to apps a lot of time comes from a place of greed.
Instagram already made billions. Yet, that is not enough. These platforms want to see major increases quarterly. This isn’t like Wikipedia that provides information and only asks for a small donation to stay afloat. Social media platforms want to squeeze every cent out of users without much return.
Yes, people are on social media to keep up with friends, but a good chunk run businesses themselves or ‘influence’ and need visibility. Also, that’s what makes Twitter so fun, discoverability. Anyone, regardless of follower count can be seen. They can give an opinion, others see it and interact with it.
Threads is already feeling just like Instagram. Only certain people get any “push.” Which to us, is quite boring.
Moreover, the whole pay to play vibes is extremely apparent from the start of this launch. If you want to show up anywhere you will most likely need to shell out a monthly fee. Figures.
Predictions of Instagram Threads -Will You Have to Show Zuck the Money?
Will you have to be a subscriber for any real traction? Most likely. Zuck isn’t big on visibility of the ‘little people.’
On Instagram he throttled most accounts down to almost zero engagement. And also deleted and did away with just about every avenue that made people discoverable on the platform. Therefore, if you think a tiger changes it’s stripes, there’s a bridge for you to buy.
Zuckerberg is going to kill Threads with the same dumb mentality that makes Instagram unbearable. People want to see other people. It’s fun to discover new artists, chefs, travel enthusiasts, sports lovers, entrepreneurs or diehard fitness fans. Limiting such individuals takes away from the spice of social life with media
Nonetheless, already Mark has turned the wheels of Instagram to be a pay for service. Want to grow or get reach? Show him the credit card!
With so much space dedicated to check marks on Threads you can already see the writing on the wall. However, this is a poor decision. Twitter Blue is a complete failure. No one wants to pay to just converse with each other. Also, no one wants to pay for a check mark.
Seriously, some people just don’t care about a check mark. It provides no meaning for them. It was originally for people to use so that no one could use a fake account and impersonate them. They were “verified” as being the real person or business. Most people don’t require that, so believing users want a vanity tag on their account is a little presumptuous.
What is a Celebrity Anymore?
Additionally, Zuck is leaning a little too hard into the celebrity realm. Is he too old to understand now? Or is he just not paying attention to how people think nowadays?
Millenials understand celebrity, but they have also had front row seats to seeing how anyone with a following can become famous. Gen Z is even more distant from what a celebrity really means. Their biggest generation’s names probably danced their way to fame in a viral video or were in a Marvel movie. Furthermore, Alpha’s literally do not care or will never comprehend Michael Jackson, Beatles, Prince, Madonna, or Elvis fame levels. Nor do they care to know.
Celebrities don’t have the spark like they used to in pop culture. Nowadays, what is a star? It’s a term used so loosely it almost loses its meaning or value. Is it a beauty maven, YouTuber, TikToker, food reviewer, jokester, or cooks at home, you know… everyone “who’s so creative?!
Celebrities used to be movie stars, athletes, singers, etc. We’re not saying no one cares about famous people, many follow them and enjoy getting updates. We’re saying it’s not as important to younger generations. Therefore, creating a platform around one group, thinking that’s all people want to see or interact with, is a clear misunderstanding of the market.
A lot of journalists and celebrities left Twitter, the platform turns on. Why? Because it’s the random tweets, posts discussions of regular people that keep that platform going strong. While a celebrity or famous person can reach more people, fun discussions are often started by just normal individuals. And they’re fun!
What Is Being Offered on Threads- Part One
Don’t know what to post on Threads? Some are feeling pretty lost. Maybe, they are new to the Twitter discussion world, so Threads feels foreign.
Adam Mosseri has this advice:
“For those of you trying to think about what to post here on Threads versus on Instagram, my take is it’s less about text versus photos and videos and more about what public conversations you want to have. Do you want to engage in more of a back and forth, Threads make sense. If not, great, probably Instagram…”
Uhm, thanks. So even Instagram higher ups aren’t sure yet. If the Threads app feels a bit chaotic to you right now, it’s because it is darling. Lol.
Zuckerberg released the app and it is very unfinished right now. There’s not much to do there besides just posting whatever you like. Therefore, if want to talk movies, do so. If you are dying to review a fashion show, go ahead.
Things are quite open right now, so just be free and say what you want (as long as you’re not being rude, wink wink). Even Mark confessed early this morning, hours into the Threads launch that things are primitive. Zuck states,
“Wow, 30 million sign ups as of this morning. Feels like the beginning of something special, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead to build out the app.”
What is Being Offered on Threads – part Two
Adam Mosseri is the one doing most of the talking right now. And fortunately he is shedding light on more of what Threads will be like and can do. Adam mentions,
“Alright friends, the apps have been published – though they will take some time to propagate – so we’ll start seeing the doors open right about now. These last few days with you all have been really something special.
We’re committed to building support for ActivityPub, the protocol behind Mastodon, into this app. We weren’t able to finish it for launch given a number of complications that come along with a decentralized network, but it’s coming.
If you’re wondering why this matters, here’s a reason: you may one day end up leaving Threads, or, hopefully not, end up de-platformed. If that ever happens, you should be able to take your audience with you to another server. Being open can enable that.
We’re hoping this can be an open and friendly platform for conversations. The best thing you can do if you want that too is be kind. And don’t forget to use Hidden Words, Restrict, and the mention and reply controls, ✌🏼.”
The Future of Instagram’s Threads
So is this social media platform already doomed? Time will tell. If Zuckerberg and friends listen to the little people and give them what they actually want, then it can DEFINITELY become an entity that people want to use.
So far, there are many promises from Instagram that more features are on the way. This is really good news. Therefore, if you hang in there and allow things to pop off and develop; you may just enjoy the finishing touches to this app.
But just to recap, Threads, according to the app itself, works like this:
“You found us! If you’ve used Instagram, parts of this app probably feel familiar. 🫶 We’re here to foster a positive and creative space for you to express your ideas. This time, it’s all about conversation.
👋 Getting started here is easy. Your feed includes threads posted by people you follow, plus recommended content from creators you haven’t discovered yet.
You can search for profiles and join conversations that have already kicked off. Threaded replies let you keep the conversation going; likes and replies mean you can interact with posts in real time.
Or, start your own thread! Include links, photos and videos (up to 5 minutes long). You have 500 characters to write everything that’s on your mind.”
Some Things We Love to See Change, But Won’t Happen in a Million Years
In just 17 hours, the Instagram Threads app now has over 30 million accounts! This is no small feat, given that it has taken other social media platforms a matter of days to achieve such growth. Therefore, the message is clear, people love and want the old school Twitter format, and they want it NOW.
Nevertheless, as this article has discussed, the Threads app is not quite ready to give people the goods just yet. It needs to be built out. Moreover, Mark Zuckerberg now knows there is a definite market for his new app; however, now he has to deliver. It is time to build the Twitter-esque app of dreams!
One thing we hope to see… is the annihilation of curated feeds. Baby it doesn’t work! Lol.
We don’t know why Marky continues on with this lame format; but it must end. A curated feed is when a platform decides what you are going to see, “supposedly” based on your interests. Well, Threads literally just started, so how would it know what any of us wish to engage with?
It doesn’t. It’s a BS way of just forcing you to engage with content and individuals you could care less about. This has been a part of the downfall of Instagram. People don’t want to scroll through a bunch of ads or accounts they don’t follow when it comes to their feed. Yes, Twitter has a feed featuring accounts you follow, but there’s still so many other areas to get into and immerse yourself with hour after hour.
Nevertheless, A better route, is allowing people choices, in order to give them space to involve themselves with subjects or topics that really matter to them. No doubt this will get people as the use of hashtags are introduced or even a proper search feature. On Twitter you can search for people or topics that are in the news, or that people are simply talking about.
Twitter is more than just random discussions. It’s a new source for people. If Zuckerberg is smart he will cater to developing Instagram Threads so that it is setup to provide news on a plethora of topics. Since it’s what is happening in the world from Betty White almost making it to 100 to Michael Jordan being the GOAT that sparks some of the best discussions.
You can’t curate this. Things happen every second of the day. Therefore, there has to be leeway for allowing people to see and discuss what is happening in their own world.
Some Other Things That May or May Not Happen Unless Pigs Fly
Furthermore, hopefully Zuck gives us a true trending section like Twitter’s trending page. Right now everything is just one big feed. It will not stay like this, but we are surprised that Instagram didn’t want to launch until they had a more well-rounded product.
However, Zuck says he wants us all to “build something special” together. Yeah right lol. But, the thought is nice.
Well, since we are “all in this together” having sections of interest can go a long way. Currently on Twitter there are sectors dedicated to News, Sports and Entertainment. During the pandemic there was one giving updates on cases and safety. Also, come Olympics time, there’s a specific area to go check out medal counts and highlights.
Hopefully, Threads will one day incorporate all of these vital features as well. It will help improve the overall feel of the app and foster more natural discussions. Right now Threads just resembles any comment section on Instagram, just everyone is invited and shoved together.
Furthermore, the problem here is that Instagram already has a bad habit of only allowing certain things or people to trend. What has made TikTok wildly popular is that you can scroll and see regular people in addition to all of your faves. While you never know who is coming up next, you are still exposed to quite a few people daily that you have never seen.
Twitter is the same. You can go read several tweets and discussions from people you don’t know and it’s entertaining. Of course, if you frequent the same topics over and over, you may start to run in the same circles as some other tweeters; but it still doesn’t feel weird, because you are CHOOSING to be there. Everyone “there” is discussing a subject they WANTED to share an opinion on with others.
So will we all get to really discuss the latest in fashion, entertainment, sports or music news? And not just from brands, companies or the blue checks? GAWD we hope so! However, Zuck is the one pulling the strings here, but if he’s smart he will let curation go and just let things fly naturally, like a blue bird does.
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