Threads (social network) facts for kids
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The Threads account page for Wikipedia
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Type of site
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Social networking platform |
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| Available in | |
| Area served | Over 100 countries |
| Owner | Meta Platforms |
| CEO | Adam Mosseri |
| Registration | Required to interact (reply, like) but otherwise optional on the web, required for mobile apps |
| Users | 350 million as of (August 6, 2025) |
| Launched | July 5, 2023 |
| Current status | Active |
| Native client(s) on | Android, iOS, Web |
Threads is a social media app made for sharing short, text-based posts, similar to Twitter (which is now called X). It is owned by Meta Platforms, the same company that owns Facebook and Instagram. To use Threads, you need an Instagram account, and the two apps are designed to work together.
When Threads launched on July 5, 2023, it became the fastest-growing app in history. It gained over 100 million users in just five days, which was even faster than ChatGPT.
The idea for Threads came after Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022. Meta saw an opportunity to create a new app for public conversations. They started working on it in January 2023 and launched it just a few months later in 100 countries. However, it wasn't available in the European Union until December 2023 because Meta had to make sure the app followed Europe's rules about user privacy.
Contents
History of Threads
An Earlier Version
This wasn't the first app called Threads from Instagram. In 2019, a different Threads app was released. It was more like Snapchat, letting users send messages, photos, and videos to their "Close Friends" list on Instagram.
This first version of Threads wasn't very popular. Most of its features were already available on Instagram, so not many people used it. Instagram shut it down in December 2021.
A New App is Born
In 2022, big changes happened at Twitter after it was bought by Elon Musk. Some users and advertisers were unhappy with the new direction of the platform. Seeing this, the leaders at Meta, including Mark Zuckerberg, decided it was the perfect time to create a competitor to Twitter.
They put together a small team of about 56 people to build a new app, which was internally called "Project 92." They worked quickly, building the app in just five months. The goal was to create a simple, text-focused social network.
The app was officially launched on July 5, 2023. The launch was moved up after Twitter put a temporary limit on how many posts users could see each day. This created a perfect moment for Threads to attract new users.
How Threads Works
Threads was designed to be a place for public conversations, much like Twitter. Meta wanted it to be a "positive and creative space" for people to share their ideas.
Here are some of its main features:
- Posts: Users can write posts up to 500 characters long. For comparison, Twitter's limit for most users is 280 characters.
- Videos: You can share videos up to 5 minutes long.
- Connected to Instagram: Your Threads account is linked to your Instagram account. You can easily follow the same people you follow on Instagram.
- Reposting: You can share someone else's post on your own profile, similar to a "retweet" on Twitter.
- Editing: After user feedback, Threads added the ability to edit your posts after you've published them.
When it first launched, Threads was missing some features like direct messaging and a "trending topics" section. However, new features have been added over time based on what users have asked for.
Connecting with Other Apps
Meta is working on making Threads compatible with the ActivityPub protocol. This is a special technology that allows different social media apps to connect with each other. This network of connected apps is sometimes called the "fediverse."
In 2024, Meta started to make this happen. Now, some people on other fediverse apps, like Mastodon, can see and follow accounts on Threads. The goal is to let people on different platforms communicate without all needing to be on the same app.
This idea has caused some debate. Some people in the fediverse are worried about a giant company like Meta joining their network. They are concerned Meta might try to take control. Because of this, some fediverse communities have decided to block all connections from Threads.
Using Threads with Instagram
Your Threads and Instagram accounts are closely linked. When you sign up, your username and profile picture are the same for both, though you can change them on Threads if you want.
At first, if you wanted to delete your Threads account, you had to delete your Instagram account too. This was a big problem for many users, especially in Europe where there are strict privacy rules. After a lot of complaints, Meta changed this in December 2023. Now, you can delete or deactivate your Threads account without it affecting your Instagram account.
How Many People Use Threads?
Threads had an amazing start. It gained millions of users very quickly, reaching 100 million in less than a week. The table below shows how fast it grew.
| Users (millions) | 2 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 70 | 90 | 100 | 200 | 275 |
| Time since launch | 2 hours | 4h | 7h | 12h | 16h | 2d | 4d | 5d | 393d | 486d |
| References |
However, after the initial excitement, the number of people using the app every day dropped. By the end of July 2023, the number of daily active users had fallen by about 80%. The average time people spent on the app also went down from about 20 minutes to just a few minutes per day.
Mark Zuckerberg said this drop was "normal" and expected that more people would stick around as new features were added. Since then, the number of users has been growing again. By August 2024, Threads had over 200 million users, and by November 2024, it had passed 275 million.
While Threads is growing, it still doesn't have the same cultural influence that Twitter had for many years. It is seen as a friendlier and safer place, but some feel it lacks the fast-paced, chaotic energy of X (formerly Twitter).
See also
