The Threadsexplosion

📍 The (long-awaited) launch of Threads in Europe

How can we start 2024 without talking about Threads?

It’s finally here: the new rival to X launched by Meta finally arrived in Europe on December 14, 2024.

If you were wondering why Threads is only just arriving in Europe, it’s because of our famous European regulations, some of the strictest in the world.

Meta was previously blocked by the DMA (Digital Markets Act), a law that prevents major platforms from leveraging their dominance to harvest data or engage in anti-competitive practices. ⚖️

🔍 Threads vs. X: what are the differences?

It is undeniable that Threads and X share many similarities.

However, Mark Zuckerberg highlights a more responsible positioning: a fact-checking program that combats misinformation, with stricter moderation than X.

As for the rest, X remains slightly ahead in certain areas:

- direct messaging
- search engine performance
- the use of hashtags

👉 The BDM provides a great summary of the fundamental differences between the two networks (add the link here in Strapi if you want to link the article).

📉 An explosive launch, followed by fading interest

Threads launched in the United States in July 2023 and reached 100 million users in less than a week.
That’s huge! 🚀

But theexcitement quickly died down.

And yet, the ambition is immense : Mark Zuckerberg is aiming for 1 billion monthly active users.

In other words 645 million more than X. Quite a challenge!

🚧 Barriers to Threads adoption

The meteoric launch of Threads can be explained by its direct connection to Instagram, which allowed for ultra-fast sign-ups. ✅

But users were quickly held back by:

- numerous restrictions
- a more basic browsing experience

🔮 An uncertain future, but one to watch

Today, Threads is still struggling to find its footing.

The lack of differentiating features makes it a difficult task.

And even though META has the resources to promote the tool, there is still a long way to go before they can hope to dethrone X.