In an impressive feat of rapid growth, Meta’s Threads app has surpassed 100 million users in a matter of days, making it the fastest-growing online platform in history. Launched by Instagram-owner Meta as a direct competitor to Twitter, Threads has achieved remarkable success, outpacing even ChatGPT’s previous record. Let’s delve into the details of this milestone and the factors contributing to Threads’ meteoric rise.
Threads crossed the 100 million user mark within five days of its launch across 100 countries. This milestone was reached faster than any other online platform, breaking the record previously held by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which took two months to reach 100 million users. The sign-up numbers for Threads have exceeded all expectations, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating that it has been “way beyond our expectations”. The simple sign-up process, which requires users to log in through their Instagram accounts, has contributed to the app’s rapid growth. Threads’ popularity is also evident from its position as the most downloaded free app in the U.S. on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
While Threads’ achievement is remarkable, it’s important to note that its user base of 100 million users is still less than a third of Twitter’s estimated 350 million users. Twitter has faced challenges, including job cuts and changes under new ownership, leading some users to become disenchanted. Meta’s association with Instagram, which boasts more than one billion users, has provided Threads with a significant advantage over other emerging rivals like Mastodon and Bluesky. It remains to be seen whether Threads can capture the same cultural cachet as Twitter, but its promising growth indicates a potential shift in the conversation-based social media landscape.
Threads offers a distinct user experience compared to Twitter. It replaces Twitter’s reverse chronological timeline with an algorithmic feed similar to Facebook and Instagram, displaying posts based on users’ preferences rather than real-time updates. The app also diverges from Twitter by not promoting hard news or political content. Instagram head Adam Mosseri defended this decision, citing the risks associated with such content. Unlike Twitter, Threads currently lacks a desktop version and is exclusively available on mobile devices.
