Meta's new app, Threads, which aimed to rival Twitter, is experiencing a rapid decline in popularity. Launched with much anticipation earlier this month, the platform initially garnered immense attention, with over 100 million sign-ups within a week. However, the initial excitement seems to be waning as recent data reports reveal a significant decrease in Threads' user base.
At its launch in early July, Threads boasted around 49 million daily active users (DAU). Shockingly, within just 10 days, this number plummeted by half, leaving the app with a mere 23 million DAU. Analytics firm SensorTower has also noted a considerable decline in user engagement, with fewer users logging in after the first week of usage.
While new apps often generate substantial interest, Threads' reliance on Instagram for promotion played a significant role in its initial success. Leveraging users' existing Instagram accounts for seamless integration, Threads eliminated the need for a separate registration process.
However, Threads' appeal falls short of Twitter's strengths. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri clarified that the app would not prioritize news content, limiting interactions primarily to users' existing networks. This approach hampers the app's potential for reaching a wider audience, as individuals would need to manually follow new accounts to expand their content exposure. The absence of a real-time news ecosystem, a cornerstone of Twitter, further widens the gap between the two platforms.
Moreover, Threads lacks the anonymity feature offered by Twitter, as it is directly integrated with Instagram. Twitter has built a significant user base of anonymous accounts, a segment that Threads fails to cater to effectively.
In response to increasing spam attacks, Threads recently announced the implementation of rate limits to counter such issues. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri acknowledged the potential unintended consequences of these limits, leading to some active users being inadvertently affected. The announcement sparked a response from Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who has been critical of Meta's new social media endeavor since its inception. Musk humorously replied to a screenshot of Mosseri's post on Threads, saying, "Lmaooo Copy."
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As Threads grapples with a sharp decline in daily users, it faces the challenge of overcoming its limitations and regaining the initial excitement it once generated.
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