Since the launch of Instagram’s Threads app on July 6th, 2023, users have employed various terms to refer to this new social media platform. Similar to how users on Twitter used the term “Tweeting” when composing or writing tweets, Instagram Threads users have adopted their own unique terminology.
I once came across a thread handle that humorously referred to its followers as “Tailors.” This really made me laugh since the term “Thread” typically pertains to the materials used by fashion designers for sewing fabrics. Interestingly, in this part of Africa, the term “Tailors” is commonly used to denote individuals in the fashion design business.
Anyway, Instagram’s Chief, Adam Mosseri, noticed this confusion, prompting the company to provide a dictionary to clarify the meaning of terms such as “Thread,” “Add thread,” “Reply,” “Quote,” or “Repost” within the app.
According to Meta’s clarification, to “Thread” means to start a discussion, similar to how you start a conversation on Twitter by tweeting something and people join in through replies. In the app, you post a thread to start discussing something.
Secondly, a post (as a noun) refers to an individual element or piece within a thread. This concept is akin to composing a series of tweets to form a Twitter thread. Similarly, within a thread, you can have a collection of posts. Interestingly, some users have humorously referred to this process as ‘threading’ or even used the term “Sewing” to describe it. LOL!
Now, there are instances where you come across a “shared thread,” which can be referred to as a “repost” or when a user reposts an existing thread. Please note that this does not mean a ‘re-thread.’
It’s important to note that you have two options when it comes to reposting (or retweeting, as in the case of Twitter). The first option is to share someone else’s post as a “Quote” thread, where you can input your opinion or comment about the post or thread before reposting it. Alternatively, you can simply use the “repost” option without adding your own opinion or comment about the post or thread.
I understand that this may seem confusing, but it shouldn’t be if you are familiar with Twitter, which is currently in the process of suing Meta, the owner of Instagram’s Thread App, for allegedly creating a “copycat” application.
Despite being under development since January, the Twitter lookalike app reportedly still lacks certain elements, according to a report by Business Insider. One notable missing feature is the use of hashtags, which is widely popular and extensively used by Twitter users. Well, the app is still in its initial development and Zuckerberg has noted that his company still has a “lot of work ahead to build out the app.”
Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, launched Threads because he recognised an opportunity. As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot.” Twitter’s CEO, Elon Musk, has shown inconsistency in managing the platform. A recent example is the temporary disabling of TweetDeck, which was eventually reinstated after users on Twitter reported the issue, as noted by The Verge. The return of the older, more preferable version of TweetDeck, along with the restoration of free API access, has been welcomed by third-party Twitter clients.
The Guardian has reported a decline in Twitter’s website following the launch of rival platform Threads. Elon Musk might have initially believed he had control over the situation and didn’t perceive the emerging alternatives to Twitter as a threat. Nonetheless, the success of Threads is evidence of Zuckerberg’s victory over Musk, who has proposed an unconventional new contest with Mark Zuckerberg, as reported by Forbes.
