Instagram Threads: what it is, how it works and what this social network promises

Let's explain what Threads is and how it works, the new social network created by the Instagram team. It is a network that has come to position itself directly as an alternative to Twitter, using the user base that exists on Instagram for that.

We're going to start by telling you exactly what Threads is, and then we'll tell you how it works and what its main options are. Finally, we will also tell you some of the intentions they have for the future.

What is Threads

Threads is a microblogging social network, which is what those created to publish short messages are called. Facebook Instagram Instagram is a social network created by Meta, the company responsible for Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, and in fact it has been developed by the Instagram team.

In essence, Threads is like a cross between Twitter and Mastodon, promising to offer the advantages of both. In addition, it is a social network linked to Instagram, so that your accounts on both networks are part of a whole.

It's like a Twitter has been created inside Instagram, but with a separate app. In Instagram, you don't need to register for Threads if you already have an Instagram account, as you will be able to link the Instagram account directly.

The social network was launched on July 6, 2023, and managed to pass 10 million users in just 7 hours. This is a milestone achieved partly due to the bad timing of Twitter, and also because of the strength offered by having the Instagram user base.

Instagram has more than a billion users, so the potential in the event that they sign up for Threads is huge. In addition, it has many celebrities and brands that also have an Instagram account, which is an important factor when it comes to bringing new users.

Therefore, de inicio Threads is the alternative to Twitter created by Instagram, and it basically works in a similar way. To this we must add that they promise to be part of the Fediverse, which will allow users of Threads to interact with those of Mastodon and other similar networks.

How it works Threads

Instagram works in a similar way to other microblogging networks. It allows you to create publications with text, but also add photographs or videos. Threads has a limit of 500 characters in your messages, something that brings it a little closer to the philosophy of many instances of Mastodon.

And as is obvious, you will also be able to respond to other people's posts, share them or quote them by adding a text of yours in addition to the other post.

As Instagram is integrated, one of the star options of Threads is that it allows you to share a post directly on Instagram stories. This allows for a better interaction between both social networks so that if any of your Instagram followers do not use Threads, they can also read your post.

At its launch, the big problem of this social network is that it only has a single news wall, and that it only shows you the content using algorithms. This means that the posts of the people you follow will be mixed with others from other people who may be talking about topics that interest you.

This is a temporary thing, because since Threads have already said that they are working on creating an initio page where to see the content of the people you follow. However, it remains to be seen to what extent you will be able to view content without algorithms.

Threads also offers options to search for other users, and has a notifications section where you can see all of them, or only those that are replies, mentions or interactions with verified accounts. The link to your account will be displayed on your profile, as well as a button that links directly to your Instagram account.

You will be able to make your profile private, manage mentions, mute users who do not interest you or filter words. You can also report posts or block users. There are still many options missing, and it can't even be used from the web yet, there is no hashtag system, you can't create user lists, or many other things, but hopefully they will come little by little.

Finally, to say that at its launch it has not officially arrived in Europe, although at Xataka Basics we have already told you how to install Threads in Spain. The arrival in the European Union will have to wait until the social network meets the minimum privacy requirements required by the EU.

What does Threads promise in the future

The biggest promise of Threads is not to be a centralized social network. For that, in the future it will implement the ActivityPub protocol, the same as Mastodon, which will make it part of the Fediverse. This will allow you to interact from Threads with most instances of Mastodon and its users, although it remains to be seen if they put any limits on it.

And what is that about the Fediverse? Think that today's social networks are centralized, which means that all content is stored on the servers of a single instance, such as Twitter or Instagram. The networks of the Fediverse work in the opposite way.

For example, in Mastodon there is not a single server. There is a whole network of servers and instances, and even you can create your own. The data of the users are saved on the servers of the instance in which they are registered, but then, you can read the content of all the users of all the instances of Mastodon.

The fact that Threads is going to implement this same technology means that you will not need to register on this social network to be able to interact with its users, and you will not need all users to be registered on it to talk to you. You should be able to follow users from other instances of other social networks that use the same technology. To be part of a whole.

In addition to this, Threads also promises a more impartial social network and without the controversies of Elon Musk. However, we must not forget that Facebook has also had its own controversies, so it remains to be seen how they end up managing the toxicity and misinformation that we can find in other networks.

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