What is Threads and how the new social network that is now available in Spain works

Meta, the parent company of giants like Facebook and Instagram, burst onto the scene this past July with Threads, its new app that seeks to compete directly with Twitter, now X. This launch occurred a few months after plans for the application were confirmed. , marking the entry of Meta into the sector and posing a big problem for the social network led by Elon Musk.

Initially launched in the United States, the United Kingdom and many other countries—although since Computer Today We were able to test it from the beginning—, The news is that finally today, December 14, it lands in the European Union and, logically, in Spain.

Initially, the app arrived with force, registering more than two million users in the first two hours and exceeding five million in just four hours. However, it is true that little by little it has been deflating. It has lost up to 79% of its global users, according to SimilarWeb figures, and up to 85% in total in the United States, where it has the greatest presence.

With its entry into the European Union it seems that Meta wants to give it that push it needs again, but, if you are still unfamiliar with this application, it is time to explain how it works.

What is Threads and how does this Meta app work?

Threads is presented as a text-based conversation app, designed to be a space where communities come together to discuss a wide variety of topics. As you can see, very similar to Twitter, although its user interface design is inspired by Instagram.

It offers the possibility of following and connecting with your favorite creators, sharing ideas, opinions and everything that comes to mind in real time. Essentially, it is a platform for microblogging which allows users to write messages, which can include images and videos, and share them with the community.

Users can participate by liking, commenting, reposting, including quoting a post, and sharing to their Instagram story or feed.

Precisely, Threads’ key distinction is its integration into the broader Meta ecosystemallowing users to keep the same username and follow the same accounts as on Instagram, easing the transition for the 2 billion users of this platform.

Unlike Twitter, Threads does not limit the number of posts users can consume daily. A few days before the launch of Threads, Twitter imposed a cap that limits users to 600 posts per day and those who pay a monthly subscription fee to 6,000 posts per day.

On the other hand, The timeline is algorithmic, and there is no way to establish that only your contacts appear. As for the character limit, from what has been verified, it is 500.

Although many consider Threads to be the “Twitter killer,” His future still hangs in the balance.. Mark Zuckerberg, known for his competitiveness, now presents an attractive alternative in the EU, and time will reveal if he manages to completely replace X or simply coexist as another option in the world of social networks.

In short, the New York Times explains that “Instagram wants to make it easier for Threads to work seamlessly with other platforms, which could appeal to creators and influencers so they don’t have to start from scratch in each app.” Whether I finally replace it or not, time will tell.