Facebook’s Meta launches ‘Twitter killer’ social network Threads

Mark Zuckerberg launches Twitter rival in bid to capitalise on turmoil at Twitter under Elon Musk.

Instagram owner Meta has launched its new social media network Threads, aiming to capitalise on the turmoil at Twitter under billionaire owner Elon Musk.

“Let’s do this,” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Wednesday in a post welcoming users to the site. “Welcome to Threads.”

“I think the world needs this kind of friendly community,” Zuckerberg said in a separate post on Instagram after the app went live. “And I’m grateful to all of you who are part of Threads from day one.”

Zuckerberg later on Wednesday wrote on Threads that the new platform had attracted more than 10 million sign ups in the seven hours after it went live.

Billed as a text-based version of Instagram for “real-time updates and public conversations,” the app will be initially available in more than 100 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.

Threads will not initially be offered in the European Union amid negotiations between Meta and regulators over how to manage data sharing between the app and Instagram.

“I think the world needs this kind of friendly community,” Zuckerberg said in a separate post on Instagram after the app went live. “And I’m grateful to all of you who are part of Threads from day one.”

Zuckerberg later on Wednesday wrote on Threads that the new platform had attracted more than 10 million sign ups in the seven hours after it went live.

Billed as a text-based version of Instagram for “real-time updates and public conversations,” the app will be initially available in more than 100 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.

Threads will not initially be offered in the European Union amid negotiations between Meta and regulators over how to manage data sharing between the app and Instagram.