Why Threads was Doomed to Fail

Summary

Meta's new social media app, Threads, launched with high initial engagement but quickly saw a significant drop in user activity. Despite its rapid acquisition of 100 million users, concerns over privacy, limited features compared to Twitter, and the inability to delete accounts without deleting Instagram accounts have dampened its appeal. The app's future remains uncertain as it struggles to differentiate itself and compete in the crowded social media market.

Takeaways

• 📉 Meta's Threads app has seen a significant drop in engagement and time spent on the platform since its launch.
• 📈 Despite the decline, Threads had the largest initial user base growth of any social media app, reaching 100 million users in five days.
• 🔒 The ease of joining Threads through Instagram and the feature to transfer followers might have skewed the perception of genuine user engagement.
• 🚫 Users are unable to delete their Threads account without deleting their Instagram account, which could be a deterrent for some.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Privacy concerns are high as Threads collects more data than Twitter, including sensitive information, hindering its launch in Europe.
• 📱 Meta's history with privacy issues, particularly with Facebook, raises concerns about how user data is used on Threads.
• 🚧 Threads has limited features compared to Twitter, lacking a home feed for just followed users and chronological post viewing.
• 💡 The success of imitators often comes from offering an improved version of the original, which Threads has not achieved with Twitter.
• 🏆 Meta's strategy for Threads is to brand it as a 'kind' and 'friendly' space, contrasting with Twitter's focus on politics and news.
• 💰 Twitter is responding to competition by sharing ad revenue with creators, incentivizing quality content on their platform.
• 🤔 There is speculation that Threads might be part of a larger plan for the metaverse, aligning with Meta's vision for a decentralized online ecosystem.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction to Meta's Threads app after its launch?

Engagement with Meta's Threads app dropped significantly after its launch on July 5th, with time spent on the app declining 60% from its peak and daily active users dropping from 49 million to 24 million within a week, according to SensorTower and SimilarWeb.

How does the user growth of Threads compare to other social media apps?

Threads had the greatest start of any social media app, reaching 100 million users in five days, which is faster than the rise of ChatGPT.

What factors may have contributed to the initial surge in sign-ups for Threads?

The ease of joining Threads through an Instagram account with just a few clicks and the feature of transferring Instagram followers directly onto the new platform could have amplified the popularity of Threads, giving a skewed perception of genuine user engagement.

Why might users feel 'locked in' to Threads?

Users cannot delete their Threads account without also deleting their Instagram account, which could make them feel locked into the platform.

What privacy concerns are associated with Threads?

Threads gathers more information than Twitter, including sensitive data such as racial or ethnic data, sexual orientation, pregnancy or childbirth information, disability, religious and philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, political opinion, genetic information, or biometric data.

Why is Threads not yet available in Europe?

Threads is not yet able to launch in Europe due to the higher standard of legal consent required for collecting sensitive information under EU law.

How does Meta's Threads app compare to Twitter in terms of features?

Threads has limited features compared to Twitter, lacking a home feed just for people you follow and the ability to view posts chronologically or search for specific posts.

What is Meta's sales pitch for Threads in terms of user experience?

Meta is branding Threads as a 'kind' and 'friendly' place where politics and news are not emphasized, aiming to create a different user experience from Twitter.

How has Twitter responded to the launch of Threads?

Twitter started sharing ad revenue with creators, beginning with a portion of the revenue earned from replies to their posts, as a way to incentivize people to post great content and bolster its appeal.

What could be the bigger plan behind Threads according to the script?

Threads could be part of Mark Zuckerberg's wider goal to build the metaverse, a virtual reality space that enables users to interact within a computer-generated environment, and aligns with Meta's vision for a seamless online ecosystem.

What is the potential future competition between Twitter and Meta's Threads?

The script suggests that despite the initial drop in engagement, Threads might still pose a challenge to Twitter, especially if it improves and integrates into Meta's broader metaverse strategy.