Unless you have been in a media blackout this last week you will be aware that there is a new kid on the block. Threads is a rival to Twitter and is owned by meta.

Twitter has changed since its new owner last October. There have been some progressive changes halted, such as policies to stop hate speech, and now users have to pay for verified status that means many users are excluded from certain audiences. The number of tweets is also limited – less for a non-paying user than a verified tweeter but still limited.

Mainstream media explains that threads appears to be a gentler space than twitter, with less aggression. It is also very easy for anyone already on instagram to sign up.

Who would use threads? Those who post lots of photographs on instagram, social media managers trying to keep up-to-date and not lose users, and those fleeing twitter.

However, threads has a lot to do to be as up-to-date as twitter. Breaking news is still appearing on twitter first, if at all on threads. Threads user numbers is expanding rapidly, 70 million users signed up in the first two days.

I have not found a way to have a personal and work account either. It will be difficult to have a professional threads account attached to a personal/main instagram account, with photographs of your holidays teleported across.

The issue with free content and open access is the product/use is you. There will be advertising and data mining as nothing is truly free. There are no advertisements on threads now but there is a plan for them in the future.

Watch this space…..