Threads: not the Twitter killer it seemed

In July 2023, Meta launched Threads with great fanfare, attempting to capitalize on Twitter’s vulnerability following Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover. The app, a Twitter clone, debuted in 100 countries simultaneously — initially excluding the European Union due to regulatory concerns — and was heavily promoted on Instagram, Meta’s most successful platform for dissemination.

Initially hailed as a potential Twitter killer, media outlets breathlessly reported that Threads had amassed 90 million users in just four days, touting it as the fastest-growing tech phenomenon in history. However, industry insiders knew better: Twitter challengers had come and gone before, and app downloads don’t necessarily translate to active users.

Zuckerberg himself soon had to concede that less than 50% of initial downloads converted to active users by July 2023. More reliable sources estimated the drop-off at 80% in July and 82% in August. A year post-launch, Threads has reportedly reached 175 million users — still a fraction of X’s 600 million. Threads users typically report having only one-fifth to one-sixth of their X followers, often using the platform merely to cross-post content from X, resulting in significantly less engagement.

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover was undeniably tumultuous, as detailed in Zoë Schiffer’s highly recommendable book…