For many, the first few hours after the release of Threads felt like the first day of summer camp.
People found old friends (from other platforms), joked about adding another app to their social media diet, and wondered if Mark Zuckerberg’s newest Meta platform would be a «Twitter killer,» all while phones vibrated for hours. with notifications of new users joining.
As writer Dana Schwartz noted«social stratum is not yet established because no one is sure who was popular at their school.»
Popularity (number of followers) aside, the vibe on Threads in its first 12 hours was a mix of goofy, light-hearted, and a little embarrassing.
Many used the app’s infancy as an excuse to push posting in ways they might have avoided on more established apps.
«How am I so addicted to an app I barely know? It’s like I’m dating a 20 year old again, make it stop.» aware beauty and food writer Charlotte Palermo.
Others who have long been active on various platforms apologized for their online character collision.
«Apologies in advance to my Instagram friends who don’t know my version of Twitter» aware Democratic strategist Keith Edwards.
And some simply took the launch of the new platform as an opportunity to reintroduce themselves. There were journalists sharing recent clips and Instagram influencers taking the opportunity to share details about who they are and what they post. even some Famous they joined in on the fun, posting memes and jokes once they joined the social media app.
Threads has been chaotic but wonderful, users said, noting that the app reminded them of the early days of the internet, especially since ads haven’t hit the platform yet.
At first glance, Threads looks like a hybrid of Twitter and Instagram, but it works closer to Twitter. Users open the app in a short text scrolling font, which is limited to 500 characters. Users can also post photos and videos on the platform.
Similar to Twitter, users can like, share, and comment on Threads. They can also «cite post» from a thread. Unlike Twitter, these posts can be shared to the Instagram story feed. Direct messaging isn’t currently available either, so you still can’t switch to other people’s direct messages.
Because Threads gives users the ability to transfer features from their Instagram accounts, including a prompt to follow the same users on both platforms, some of those users were able to quickly find their groove on the platform.
People refer to the app as Twitter’s latest «hoax» or «Twitter clone», and wonder if this will be the one to stay. Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, users have looked to platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon as potential replacements.
“I love that there are so many Twitter clones out there but I keep checking this one because the Instagram import feature makes my phone brrrrrrr more than just bluesky/mastodon/etc!! my reptilian brain is no match for this!!!!!!” wrote journalist Makena Kelly.
Others lamented how they have to juggle with another application
«Me trying to keep up with all the social media platforms nowadays,» one user wrote, with a picture of someone on their phone standing in front of a dozen phones.
There is also some initial confusion surrounding the app.
Feeds are not chronological and, in some cases, have included posts from people a user does not follow.
Others urged people not to praise the app as more issues and bugs were worked on, noting that the app still had time to go «bad.»
Many focused on the fact that they do not know how to call a post in Threads. One person joked that they could still be called tweets.
There were also people who couldn’t resist joking about how Zuckerberg’s app might be the best «Twitter clone» yet. Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is of course responsible for Facebook, one of the first major social media platforms to dominate the online space.
«I can’t believe we are all rooting for Zuckerberg in the year of our lord 2023,» user TheCultureOfMe wrote.
Journalist Wesley Lowery echoed the sentiment.
«Only Elon Musk could make me endorse Mark Zuckerberg,» he said. aware.
While some reflected on the current social media landscape, others reminisced about the social media platforms of yesterday.
«Custom MySpace Backgrounds When», TikTokker Jonathan Graziano asked.
As of Thursday morning, more than 30 million people had signed up for Threads, Zuckerberg said in a post.
As users fall into the rhythm of Threads, some are already pondering how to look behind in their initial posts and question everything.
«I already feel the shame of re-reading my first threads in ten years», the writer Michelle Konstantinovsky. aware.