Threads Takes on Twitter – The New York Times

For many users, Twitter has become a bad boyfriend.

Under Elon Musk, the platform can be unreliable and unfiltered. Some users call it malicious. They encouraged their followers to leave the platform in protest of Musk’s leadership, including his algorithmic changes and the decision to reinstate Donald Trump’s account. Other tech companies, like Substack, have tried to give frustrated Twitter users a place to go, but none have been compelling enough to offer a viable alternative — until now. hour.

This week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, released Threads, a Twitter competitor. It soon becomes fastest downloaded app ever. Over 70 million users have joined Topics in the past few days, surpassing the audience size of Twitter’s other competitors.

Why? Because Meta has something other competitors don’t: two billion existing users the company can leverage new product use. People log into Threads with their Instagram accounts, instead of having to create a new username, password, and profile picture. Meta has also used its existing platforms to promote the Theme.

For those who like Twitter but don’t like the changes Musk introduced or have grown tired of his antics, the appearance of Threads is interesting. For all its downsides, Twitter has played an important role in many people’s lives, helping them understand news and stay up to date with trends in the culture.

At the same time, Threads’ early success highlights a recurring problem in the internet economy. A small number of giant companies have more control than ever before over our attention. Twitter, if any, is too small to be considered part of this club. By contrast, Meta is the modern giant, along with Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft.

“They are not only the wealthiest corporations that have ever existed, but they also institutionalize a new form of profound inequality” about who controls, says Shoshana Zuboff, a privacy expert at Harvard. information. “Theme is simply another asset in the global surveillance empire.”

For the rest of today’s newsletter, we’ll explain the basics of the Theme, gauge its likelihood of long-term success, and provide you with links for more coverage, on The Times and more.

What is it?

The theme looks a lot like Twitter. It offers many of the same features: a scrolling feed of posts, some with photos or videos attached, and the ability to repost to other users. The feed is a combination of posts from accounts the user follows and those suggested by the algorithm.

But it is also said to have a different vibe. Meta has advertised Threads as a less political version of Twitter, but it’s unclear how the company will maintain that atmosphere.

Many posts on the platform have spawned memes beyond the competition between Twitter and Threads. Users photoshopped the faces of Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta, and Musk into famous fights, such as Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. News agencies, such as The Guardian and Semafor, joined and started publishing their articles. So far, those posts seem indistinguishable from tweets.

But users are also happy on the platform. Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Tom Brady have all created accounts, and many celebrities have posted welcome messages. Pitbull said, “Mr. Register worldwide. And Martha Stewart posted a photo in a pool, saying she “get ready to make a splash.”

Meta’s commitment to keeping Threads “positive” contrasts with Musk’s plan to make Twitter an uncensored platform. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said Meta decided to create the app specifically in response to “product changes and decisions” that Musk made on Twitter.

The rollout has increased the rivalry between Zuckerberg and Musk, who recently threatened to mixed fighting. After Threads went live, Musk claimed he had previously deleted his Instagram account. He wrote on Twitter: “Better to be attacked by strangers on Twitter than indulge in fake happiness on Instagram that hides pain.

Twitter’s lawyers sent Meta a letter threatening legal action, accusing Zuckerberg’s company of using trade secrets to build Threads. The app is also currently unavailable in the European Union as Meta is still uncertain whether it will comply with strict European privacy rules.

Advantages of Meta

Initial success is a rare recent win for Meta. Facebook and Instagram have struggled to keep up with TikTok, while Zuckerberg’s dream of creating a “super universe” has barely come true. The company has laid off thousands of employees.

However, the initial impetus for Threads does not guarantee long-term success. Other platforms, like BeReal and Clubhouse, have created buzz as the future of social media, only to falter.

Yet again, Meta has an advantage that no other effort has: It’s easy to attract users once you’ve got them.

More about Themes

• “Right now it’s very friendly there. Now, we’ll see what it looks like when the gate opens and anyone and everyone can join in. But the vibes there are so good right now,” said Mosseri, Instagram director, spoke on The Times’ “Hard Fork” podcast.

• The theme is very simple to use, “thanks to some serious Copy and Paste Twitter,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. But it lacks hashtags or private messages.

• The topic that is the first application that threatens Twitter’s status is “internet water cooler,” writes Dave Lee of Bloomberg.

• To delete a Thread profile, the user must delete their Instagram account. This may contradict government efforts to make it easier to cancel accounts online.

NEWS

International

• Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, says that the US and China will have communicate more often after the trip to Beijing.

• Dutch PM resigns after his coalition rejects his new hard line on refugees, protests How serious is the migration problem? in European politics.

• Ukrainian doctors fleeing the Russian invasion often face a difficult choice: unemployment or return to a country at war.

Other great stories

• Justice Clarence Thomas’s membership in an elite club gave him access to a group of wealthy friends. He, in turn, gave them rare access to the Supreme Court.

• Star US soccer player Megan Rapinoe said she will retire at the end of the year.

• Brokers say their job – meeting strangers to convince them to buy property – comes with risk of sexual harassment.

FROM WOMEN’S OPINION

Russia will threaten nuclear war regardless on whether Ukraine will join NATO, Alyona Getmanchuk write.

This is a column of Farhad Manjoo ABOVE affirmative action.

Sunday question: Should the US supply cluster bombs to Ukraine?

The supply of weapons, which is banned in more than 100 countries but not in Ukraine, Russia or the United States, endangers “the very people of Ukraine.” try to protect,” writes MSNBC’s Hayes Brown. But cluster bombs are only considered criminals when they are used indiscriminatelyRobert Goldman writes at The Conversation, and it is “very unlikely” Ukraine will use them in the civilian sector.

Morning Reading

Summer destination: National parks get all the attention. These public lands are also beautiful — but lack of crowd.

Famous TikTok: Matt Rife is just another struggling stand-up comedian. Then he boom on TikTok.

Oath: After her ex-husband used her identity to embezzle money, she vowed never to get married again. She changed her mind.

Life lived: Sue Johanson is a beloved radio and television host who speaks about sex with confidence. She passed away at the age of 92.

STORY | FROM TIMES MAGAZINE

Robert Downey Jr. co-star in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Oppenheimer, in which he plays Lewis Strauss, a villain of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb.” I spoke with the actor about returning to non-branded roles after years of primarily playing Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

You’re in the phase of your career, post-Marvel, where you only have to work when you want to. How do you decide which movies to make?

At this point, you’re not doing it for the money. But then here’s why: I don’t know why I can relate to Lewis Strauss so much, but I feel like I was born to play the role. “Oppenheimer” is a boundary for me.

Why?

I finished my contract with Marvel and then rushed to work on what promises to be another potential franchise in “Doolittle.” We then reset these preferences. Then the old Chris Nolan called. So I guess my answer to your question is, it’s nice to fight someone more dangerous than you.

Unlike other actors, I don’t know how important being able to empathize with your character is to your acting.

There are things that feel at the sweet spot. I had an experience on “Oppenheimer” where we were doing a driving shot and it was me, Nolan, the DP and the driver, and we had to deal with something in the car. Nolan was like, “I’m going to walk out—here, take this,” and put a roll of film on my lap. I was taken back to the first time I went to the studio with my dad, and in almost the five minutes I sat there, he restored my mobile dignity.

Read Full interview here.

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NEXT WEEK

What to watch?

• President Biden is scheduled to meet King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London tomorrow.

• Major League Baseball’s home Derby is tomorrow, followed by an All-Star on Tuesday.

• A trial will begin in Michigan tomorrow to determine which of Aretha Franklin’s handwritten wills are legally binding.

• NATO leaders are expected to meet for a summit in Lithuania starting Tuesday.

• Friday is Bastille Day in France.

• The Wimbledon women’s singles final will take place on Saturday and the men’s final on Sunday.

What to cook this week