Threads Amasses 100 Million Users in Less Than a Week, Challenging Twitter Supremacy

Within a week of its launch, Threads, the new microblogging platform from Meta (formerly Facebook), has already amassed 100 million registered users. Linked closely with Instagram accounts, Threads is presented as a viable alternative to Twitter, which was purchased by Elon Musk in 2021. Notably, the release of the app has catalyzed a significant rise in new user signups, hitting new milestones every day, particularly due to its intertwined nature with Instagram, which boasts over 2.35 billion monthly active users.

Temporary account numbers appeared on Instagram shortly following the launch of Threads by Meta, indicating the number of signups for the new platform. These numbers are issued chronologically, providing a clear picture of Threads' user growth. As per a dedicated tracking website, Threads surpassed the 100 million users mark around 12:30 pm IST on Monday. However, it's worth noting that while Threads has seen an influx of users, it currently lacks several features standard in other microblogging platforms like Twitter and Mastodon, including private messaging and a functional search feature.

Threads has begun accepting signups for beta testing of the app on Android via the Google Play Store, giving users the opportunity to preview and test new features before their broad release. However, a point of concern is the tight integration with Instagram, meaning that deleting your Threads profile will also result in the removal of your Instagram account. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the company is actively working on a solution that will enable users to delete their Threads account separately.

Controversy and Competition

This rapid influx of new users on Threads has reportedly caused unease at rival Twitter, with allegations of trade secret theft leading to threats of a lawsuit against Meta. These allegations stem from claims that Meta hired former Twitter employees let go by Elon Musk and specifically tasked them to work on Threads. This discord was further highlighted by Musk's disparaging remarks about Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, indicating that the sudden rise of Threads has provoked consternation at Twitter.

While Threads has impressively garnered 100 million users in less than a week, the platform's long-term user retention remains to be seen. Concurrently, Twitter's DNS ranking has recorded a decline over the first half of this year, as noted by Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince on Threads. Data from SimilarWeb also corroborated this trend, indicating a decrease in Twitter's traffic from the start of the year. This shift in user preference could mark a significant turning point in the realm of microblogging platforms.