The tech world has been abuzz with excitement over the possible showdown between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, which is set to be streamed on X (formerly known as Twitter), according to Musk’s recent tweets. This unexpected development has caught the attention of millions, with Musk playfully announcing his preparations for the fight and the charitable cause associated with it. However, as of now, no further details about the fight have been revealed.
The June Agreement and Meta’s Game-Changing Move
In June, the two Big Tech billionaires seemingly reached an agreement to participate in a cage fight, igniting curiosity and speculation among their followers and the general public. The stakes for this potential showdown were raised to new heights when Zuckerberg’s Meta launched Threads, a brand-new Twitter competitor, adding an intriguing twist to the rivalry between the two tech giants.
Zuckerberg wasted no time in responding to Musk’s tweets via Threads. He questioned the choice of X as the streaming platform and suggested using a more reliable platform that could effectively raise money for charity. Zuckerberg expressed his readiness for the fight, having even proposed a date (Aug 26) when Musk first challenged him, but as of the moment, Musk’s confirmation remains uncertain.
Threads: The Twitter Killer?
Since Musk’s takeover of Twitter in October 2022, the platform has experienced numerous policy pivots, technical issues, and controversies surrounding its stance on harassment and hate speech, leaving many users disoriented. With the release of Threads, some users saw it as a promising alternative capable of dethroning its rival. The app’s debut was a resounding success, garnering an astonishing 100 million sign-ups in under a week, attracting prominent accounts from various domains.
Threads shares similarities with Twitter, featuring a feed primarily composed of text-based posts, though users can also share photos and videos. Meta has set a 500-character limit for messages, and users can interact with each other’s posts in familiar Twitter-like ways, such as replying, reposting, and quoting. The app incorporates Instagram’s aesthetics and navigation system and offers the convenience of sharing Threads posts directly to Instagram Stories. Verified Instagram accounts are automatically verified on Threads, which supports both public and private thread accounts.
Threads’ Early Success and Potential Threat to Twitter
Threads’ successful launch instantly raised the question of whether it could be the elusive “Twitter killer” that numerous competitors have sought to become. Meta’s existing user base, which boasts over 2 billion global active Instagram users, provides a significant advantage over Twitter’s comparatively smaller active user base of around 250 million. Zuckerberg envisions Threads as a platform with 1 billion+ active users, a goal he believes Twitter hasn’t quite achieved yet.
The potential for Threads to challenge Twitter’s dominance has not gone unnoticed. Recently, a lawyer representing Twitter sent a letter to Meta, accusing the company of intellectual property theft and threatening a lawsuit over Threads. Twitter’s new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, acknowledged Threads’ launch in a tweet, affirming Twitter’s uniqueness and the strength of its community.
Meta’s Approach and Challenges
Meta’s existing scale and infrastructure could play a pivotal role in Threads’ success. Unlike many other Twitter competitors that required users to join waitlists or receive invitations, Threads facilitates a seamless transition for users, allowing them to import their followed accounts directly from Instagram. However, Meta faces the challenge of keeping users engaged in the long term, a common hurdle for new social media platforms. Addressing issues like spam, harassment, conspiracy theories, and false claims on Threads will be crucial in cultivating a thriving and responsible online community.
The platform’s launch coincided with Meta’s layoff of over 20,000 workers, including user experience, well-being, policy, and risk analytics employees. Additionally, with the 2024 US Presidential election campaign season underway, experts are concerned about the potential wave of misinformation on social media platforms, including Threads. Meta asserts that its Community Guidelines will apply to Threads, aligning with their commitment to fostering a safe online environment.
Meta’s Potential Gain: More Than Just Engagement
For Meta, Threads presents an opportunity to capitalize on its massive existing user base and prolong engagement on the platform. While there are currently no ads on Threads, the app could eventually complement Meta’s core advertising business. Given the challenges Meta’s ad business has faced due to declining online ad markets and changes in Apple’s app privacy practices, the new format may provide a boost. For Zuckerberg, engaging in a cage fight with Musk could be an additional motivation, as victory in this “battle of social networks” could be seen as a personal triumph.
Threads’ Future: Promising Yet Incomplete
Despite Threads’ promising start, the app is still relatively bare bones compared to Twitter, lacking key features such as a desktop version, direct messaging, trending topics, and post-editing capabilities. However, Meta has already teased its plans to continue expanding Threads, with the inclusion of hashtags, a robust search function, and potentially direct messaging.
The potential showdown between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, coupled with the intense rivalry between Twitter and Threads, has captured the attention of tech enthusiasts worldwide. As the tech landscape evolves and social media platforms vie for supremacy, the outcome of this battle remains uncertain. Users eagerly anticipate more details about the fight and the growth of Threads as Meta strives to carve a niche in the highly competitive world of social media. Only time will tell whether Threads will live up to its potential as a Twitter killer and if the ongoing rivalry between Musk and Zuckerberg will further escalate, both in the digital and physical realms.
