In this photo illustration, META’s Threads logo is displayed on a smartphone, with the Twitter logo in the background. Threads is a new social network launched by Meta Platforms on July 5, 2023.
Omar Marks | Light Rocket | Getty Images
User traffic on Twitter has slowed since launch YuanIts text-based platform, Threads, has surpassed 100 million sign-ups since launching last week.
Threads launched in the US on Wednesday, with Meta executives such as Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri touting it as a more positive “public square” for a community that “never really embraced Twitter.” So far, users seem to agree.
“Threads hit 100 million signups over the weekend. It’s mostly organic demand, and we haven’t even started a lot of promotions. Can’t believe it’s been 5 days!” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Monday stated in an article.
Twitter appears to be taking a hit. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince shared a screenshot on Twitter on Sunday showing that traffic on the platform is “declining.”
Twitter responded to CNBC’s request for comment via an automated reply. Meta provided no additional comment beyond Zuckerberg’s post.
Threads has flourished thanks to its ties to existing social network Meta’s Instagram. Users can sign up with an existing account on Instagram and keep some followers while others sign up for the app.
Threads reached the 100 million milestone even faster than OpenAI’s generative chatbot ChatGPT, which surpassed 100 million monthly users in two months.
The app still has a lot of room to grow and has not yet launched in Europe, where Mosseri said there are still some complex regulatory issues to resolve. If Threads can retain its user base, it could cement its position as a true Twitter competitor. Last summer, Twitter reported nearly 238 million monetizable daily active users in the public company’s last quarterly earnings report.
Twitter owner Elon Musk appears to have expressed some concern about Threads, with his longtime lawyer Alex Spiro writing to Meta accusing the company of “illegal misappropriation.” Trade secrets.
Musk and Zuckerberg also shot at each other over the weekend, with Zuckerberg mocking Musk’s tweeting style and Musk calling Zuckerberg a derogatory name.
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