Threads App Reaches 86 Million Users As Twitter Threatens Lawsuit via @sejournal, @kristileilani

Threads, an Instagram app for text-based messaging, launched this week and has seen a meteoric rise in number of signups within the first 48 hours.

How Many Users Are On The Threads App?

According to the number badges appearing on Instagram profiles, denoting when someone joined Threads, there are now over 86 million accounts on the Threads app.

Screenshot from Instagram, July 2023

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted the number of sign-ups was “beyond our expectations.”

Screenshot from Threads, July 2023

On Course To Reach 100 Million Users Faster Than ChatGPT, TikTok, And Instagram

The Threads user count is now over 86,190,781.

Threads should reach 100 million users within a few days of its launch at the current pace of user adoption.

For reference:

The link between Instagram and Threads accounts makes it easy for the 1.6 billion existing Instagram users outside the European Union to sign up for Threads and start using the app with an engaged audience from day one. We’ll explain why it’s not available in the EU shortly.

How Has Twitter Responded To Its Competition?

Twitter’s response to its rising competition was a letter threatening to sue Meta, insinuating that, amongst other things, Meta hired former Twitter employees with access to trade secrets.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk responded to the potential lawsuit on Twitter:

Competition is fine, cheating is not

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2023

Minutes earlier, Musk and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey joked about the rise of Twitter alternatives.

😂

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2023

How To Get Threads

The Threads app is the top free app in the App Store and Google Play stores.

Screenshot from App Store, July 2023

Users of the Instagram app for iOS can find a ticket to get Threads via the search bar for the name of the app and P92.

Screenshot from Instagram, July 2023

The ticket directs users to the App Store to download Threads.

Sign Up For Threads

Once you download the app, you can sign up for Threads using your Instagram username.

Screenshot from Threads, July 2023

Threads gives users the option to fill out their public profile and follow the same people as they do on Instagram during the signup process.

Inside The Threads App

Once inside the Threads app for iOS, I can see the latest posts on my home feed, search for new people to follow, and see my latest notifications.

Screenshot from Threads, July 2023

User profiles include a Threads and Replies tab.

Screenshot from Threads, July 2023

Verified Instagram accounts also appear as verified on Threads. If you subscribe to Meta Verified with your Instagram account, your Threads account will be verified simultaneously.

Users can include up to 500 characters of text, five minutes of video, and/or ten images per post.

Threads posts can be shared as Instagram Stories, posts to the Instagram feed, Twitter, and other social networks to help promote new accounts and gain followers.

Screenshot from Threads/Instagram, July 2023

Who Is On Threads

With over 30 million users now on the Threads app, you’ll find everyone: celebrities, influencers, brands, and your favorite sources of SEO information, including Search Engine Journal.

Screenshots from Threads, July 2023

You’ll also find other social platforms on Threads.

Screenshot from Threads, July 2023

So far, no sign of an official Twitter account on Threads. Its official Instagram account was last updated in July 2022 and does not have a Threads number badge.

Official Terms From The Threads Dictionary

The @threadsapp account posted an official dictionary so users can learn the proper terms for the trending social app.

Screenshot from Threads.net, July 2023

Privacy Concerns Surrounding The Threads App

Some users who downloaded the Threads app became concerned with the app’s privacy disclaimers, which explain how a large amount of your data will be linked to your identity.

Screenshot from the App Store, July 2023

Amongst the privacy critics were Dorsey, who tweeted about the app’s private data needs.

All your Threads are belong to us https://t.co/FfrIcUng5O pic.twitter.com/V7xbMOfINt

— jack (@jack) July 4, 2023

With brief replies, Musk did his part to draw attention to tweets about Thread’s privacy notices.

Screenshot from Twitter, July 2023

This could be why Threads will not launch in the EU simultaneously with the US.

Aaron Mendes, CEO and co-founder of PrivacyHawk, commented on the privacy concerns:

“The Threads App is just disclosing all the same data they *might* collect in their primary apps, Instagram and Facebook. It doesn’t mean they collect it on every person. It depends on how you use the app and what you give them access to. But it is a reminder of the depth of data Meta collects on its users and that you are the product when you use any of their services.”

Can You Delete Your Threads Account/Profile?

Because of the link between Instagram and Threads, you can deactivate your Threads profile or delete your Instagram and Threads account.

Since Threads is powered by Instagram, in order to delete your Threads profile and data, you will have to delete your Instagram account. Note that we’re looking into a way to delete your Threads profile separately.

Deactivating your Instagram account will also result in deactivating your Threads profile.

Threads App Pre-Launch Promotion

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and the official Instagram @creators account used broadcast channels to announce the upcoming launch to channel members.

According to a poll on Mosseri’s IG Updates channel, over 16k members planned to sign up for Threads this week. Almost 14k have followed the official @threadsapp account on Instagram.

Screenshot from Instagram, July 2023

In addition to the promotion through Instagram, Threads offered a pre-order promotion through the App Store that notified iOS users when Threads was available for download.

Influencers with early access reportedly received a guide on what to do leading up to the launch.

LEAKED: Meta's Early Access Guide Sent to Creators for It's Twitter-Killer App Threads https://t.co/Gwy0An7oHI pic.twitter.com/JzngAPiAeR

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) July 5, 2023

Threads In 2019 – 2021

Interestingly, this isn’t Instagram’s first attempt at an app called Threads.

In 2019, Instagram introduced Threads as a camera-centric messaging app for sharing photos, videos, and status updates with a close circle of friends.

Today, Facebook is launching Threads from Instagram, a new camera-first messaging app that helps you stay connected to your close friends. Learn more here: https://t.co/oMgMiKMT6Y pic.twitter.com/GbQzctLu1t

— Instagram (@instagram) October 3, 2019

This version of Threads allowed users to have dedicated inboxes and notifications for their Instagram close friends list in a standalone app.

Screenshot from Internet Archives/App Store, July 2023

The app ultimately shuttered in 2021.

A Promising Twitter Alternative?

Stay tuned as we update this article with the latest information on the launch of Threads.

Featured image: Ascannio/Shutterstock