Alternatives to Twitter – new and old – have found an audience willing to try new social networks since Elon Musk took over the company in 2022. Mastodon, Blue sky, Spread And T2 are some of the social media platforms that people are a part of. The same goes for Meta’s Threads platform.

What are discussion threads? How to create an account?

Discussion threads are Meta’s textual rival on Twitter. It is linked to your Instagram account, so you can create an account by logging in using your Instagram credentials.

How is this different from Twitter?

Currently there is no paid tiers and advertisements on the application. However, your Instagram verification mark is retained, even if you have paid for Meta Verified. Users can take advantage of their Instagram network to find people to follow.

The app launched more than a year ago, but it doesn’t have Twitter-like features like long videos, direct messages, or live audio rooms.

How do you use discussion threads?

The platform is currently available on iOS and Android in over 100 countries. However, for privacy reasons, the application has been not currently available in the EU until December 2023. Around that time, Meta launched Threads in the region with an option for users to browse the social network without an account without the ability to post or interact with other posts.

Because you log in through your Instagram account, you will be able to follow everyone you follow. You’ll also import your username, name, and settings, like blocklist.

How many users does this thing have?

Since November 2024, Threads has over 275 million monthly active users.

It’s been a steady build-up. A few hours after launch, Discussions have crossed the 10 million registration mark and it reached 100 million users just five days after its launch.

What are the limits of publishing on Threads?

Users can post 500 characters in a single post on the app. The post supports images, videos, and GIFs. A Thread post supports up to 10 media items. On July 17, Threads announced that it was to tighten rate limitsor limits on how users can view posts, due to spam attacks.

Can you use Threads on the web?

Yes, you can view posts and also post from Discussions.net.

How to delete your Threads account?

You can deactivate or delete your Threads account. Until the end of 2023, it was necessary delete your Instagram accountaccording to Meta “Additional Privacy Policy” to delete your Threads account. Meta retains your data for 30 days after the initial deletion request. If you change your mind, you can undo the deletion within 30 days.

How can you personalize your Threads experience?

Discussions allow you to pin search terms and tags as feed. The company is also testing a way to create custom feeds by adding profiles and terms specific to a new flow. For the longest time, the social network’s algorithmic “For You” feed was users’ default feed, but now you can set any feed as default.

Meta’s new social network also took inspiration from rival social network Bluesky and created its own version of “Starter Packs” — lists of people to follow based on different themes.

Can you direct message people on Threads?

You cannot send messages to app users. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the goal is “not to create yet another inbox but rather to allow people to send threads to other apps.”

Does Threads have an API?

After testing the API with selected partners for a few months, Threads was finally launched. public API in June 2024. Developers can create tools to publish user posts, retrieve their own posts, and get engagement insights. These tools cannot yet help you delete your posts.

Does this mean we will have third party clients?

Currently, the Threads API has limitations, such as not allowing developers to retrieve timeline data. It is therefore not possible to create alternative clients for Threads at this time.

Is Threads part of the fediverse?

Partially. Earlier in 2024, Threads launched an experiment to enable users share their posts on the fediverse. So if users enable fediverse sharing, people on other compatible ActivityPub networks like Mastodon can follow them and see their posts. Threads also allows fediverse users to like Threads posts.

In 2024, Meta expanded support for fediverse by adding a way to Thread users to see fediverse users’ responses to their postssupport for posts generated via Threads API to distribute on the fediverseand also check who follows them from other servers.

In December 2024, the company began allowing Threads users to follow profiles of other fediverse servers.

What features are currently missing in Threads?

• Full Fediverse integration
• Planning publications (coming soon)
• Direct messages
• List support
• Support for third-party clients

What are Threads’ data collection practices?

Because you’re using an Instagram account to log into Threads, Meta says “this is part of your Instagram account.” Users already have raised questions about the app’s data collectionconsidering the privacy labels mentioned in the App Store.

In response to questions about the app’s privacy labels on the App Store, Rob Sherman, Meta’s deputy chief privacy officer, said last year that those labels are similar to the company’s other apps.

“Labels are similar to the rest of our apps, including Instagram, in that our social apps receive any information (including data categories listed in the App Store) that you share in the app,” a he declared in a discussion article at the time.

This story was originally published on July 6, 2023 and has been updated to include recent updates.