Meta’s new microblogging app, Threads, has experienced explosive growth since its launch, surpassing the 100 million user mark in just under a week. This achievement makes Threads the fastest growing online platform in history, overtaking ChatGPT, which took two months to reach the same milestone.
When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the news of Threads’ 70 million user count last Friday, he expressed his surprise, stating that the numbers had far exceeded their expectations. However, compared to Instagram’s two billion user base, Threads still has a long way to go.
Impressively, Threads’ record-breaking growth occurred despite its unavailability on EU app stores due to privacy concerns. But even within the European bloc, non-Apple users can still download the app using an Android package kit (APK). French media outlets, including Le Monde and Agence France-Presse, have reportedly found workarounds to the geographical limitations, and other determined users have found ways to join as well.
Of course, the launch of Threads did not go unnoticed by Elon Musk, who has publicly criticized the new app. Musk has even threatened to sue Threads over alleged trade secret theft. Meta swiftly responded, asserting that none of their engineers were former Twitter employees. The timing of Threads’ launch, coinciding with Musk’s own missteps, such as limiting users’ daily tweet views, seemed to work in Meta’s favor.
For comparison, when Twitter went public in 2013, it boasted 200 million users. However, since Musk’s takeover in October 2022, the platform lost around 32 million users. Nevertheless, Twitter still maintains a substantial user base, with 368 million monthly active users worldwide and 206 million monetizable daily users. Advertising accounts for about 90% of Twitter’s revenue in 2022.
With Threads’ impressive growth rate, it has the potential to become a legitimate challenger for the text-based social media throne. Currently, Meta is fine-tuning the app and refraining from placing ads. However, Zuckerberg has indicated that once Threads reaches one billion users, Monet will explore ways to monetize the platform.
Threads’ success is a testament to Meta’s ability to introduce innovative social media platforms that captivate users’ attention. Despite the delayed EU launch and legal threats from Elon Musk, Threads has seen unprecedented growth and may pose a serious challenge to established players in the microblogging space. As the platform further refines its features and expands its user base, it could become a force to be reckoned with in the social media landscape.
