The Instagram platform has officially launched its new Threads app, which is similar to the Twitter microblogging platform, and can now be downloaded for free from the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android devices.
Users can create a Threads account using the same Instagram account with the same ID (username) and also follow the same accounts they follow on Instagram. The app also allows users to exchange text messages up to 500 characters long, as well as post photos and videos up to 5 minutes long, according to the Arab Tech News Portal.
Various interaction options
The new Threads app also has a Twitter-like interface and provides various options for interacting with posts, such as likes, comments, reposts, and shares. On the app’s home page, users will see a mixture of messages from the accounts they follow and messages that the app will filter based on their interests.
The app gives users the ability to control who can reply to messages, either everyone, the accounts they follow, or only those mentioned in the message, in addition to the ability to filter specific words in replies.
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The launch of Instagram’s Threads app comes at a time when Twitter is under fire after Elon Musk, owner of the platform, announced a cap on the number of tweets allowed per day, as well as the launch of a new version of the TweetDeck platform that requires a verified account, in addition to other previous solutions that generated a lot of discussion.
Previous reports have indicated that the Threads app will be based on a decentralized protocol similar to that used by competing apps like Mastodon and Bluesky, which was launched by Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of Twitter.
More control over data
The decentralized protocol also offers many benefits that give users more control over their data and enable them to transfer data from one platform to another. Threads is the first app from Meta, the owner of Instagram, to be compatible with the open source social networking protocol.
“We believe that this decentralized approach, similar to the protocols that govern email and the web itself, will play an important role in the future of internet platforms,” Meta said.
It is noteworthy that the Threads application is currently available in more than 100 countries around the world, but is not yet available in the European Union. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Meta has delayed the launch of Threads in the European Union until it is sure that it complies with the laws and regulations governing privacy and the use of user data.
