With over 100 million sign-ups within a few days, it’s clear that Mark Zuckerberg’s latest venture, Threads, has generated significant buzz in the world of microblogging. Developed by the talented team behind Instagram, Threads offers a user experience that is both unique and reminiscent of its rival, Twitter.
However, despite its initial surge in popularity, Threads falls short in several key areas when compared to the long-standing microblogging giant. Let’s explore some of these limitations, which highlight the distinctive features that set Twitter apart:
No direct messaging (DM) option
Threads lacks a native direct messaging feature, preventing users from engaging in private conversations within the platform. Although this can enhance privacy, it limits the direct connection between users compared to Twitter’s robust DM system.
Absence of trending topics
One of Twitter’s distinguishing features is the prominent display of trending topics, facilitating the discovery of current news and discussions. In contrast, Threads does not currently offer a dedicated section for trending topics. The CEO of Instagram has even suggested that Threads is not focused on “Hard News,” indicating that a trending topics section may not be on the immediate horizon.
No hashtags
Hashtags play a vital role in making topics trend and facilitating easy discovery on Twitter. Unfortunately, Threads currently lacks this defining feature. Nonetheless, given Meta’s history with hashtag support on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it’s reasonable to expect that Threads will eventually incorporate this functionality.
No ads (for now)
While the absence of advertisements on Threads may be seen as a positive aspect, it’s worth noting that Twitter heavily monetizes through ad placements. Mark Zuckerberg himself hinted that Threads might remain ad-free until it achieves a substantial user base of around 1 billion users.
No web version
Unlike Twitter, which offers seamless access through web browsers, Threads is primarily limited to an app-only experience. While there is an official website, Threads.net, it serves merely as a redirect to download the mobile app on Android or iOS devices.
Inability to edit posts
One recent feature introduced by Twitter is the option to edit tweets, albeit available exclusively to premium users. At present, Threads does not grant users the ability to edit posts after publication. Instead, users must resort to either deleting the post or creating an entirely new one. Nevertheless, given that Instagram and Facebook have long allowed post editing, it’s reasonable to expect this feature to arrive on Threads in due course.
AI-generated alt text
Alt text, providing descriptions for images or videos, is an accessibility feature embraced by most social media platforms. However, Threads currently lacks the ability for users to customize alt text. Instead, it relies on computer-generated alternative text, which may hinder accessibility for individuals reliant on screen readers.
Inability to embed Threads posts
Unlike Twitter, Threads does not provide an option to create embedded post links, making it difficult to share content on external platforms such as blogs or websites. Twitter has long enabled users to generate embedded post links, enhancing the platform’s reach and integration with other online mediums.
Single feed amalgamating trending and follower posts
Threads adopts a unified feed structure, combining trending posts with content from followers. In contrast to Twitter’s “For you” and “Following” feeds, Threads lacks an option to exclusively view posts from followed accounts.
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Despite these limitations, Threads has garnered substantial attention due to its association with the Instagram team and the allure of a fresh social media alternative. However, to truly compete with the entrenched dominance of Twitter, Threads must continue to innovate, expand its feature set, foster a dedicated user community, and establish itself as a reliable and influential player in the realm of microblogging.