Threads (application)
# Threads (application)

Threads was an American multimedia instant messaging app and service developed by Meta Platforms, then known as Facebook, Inc. The app operated in a similar manner to Snapchat. It is integrated with Instagram's 'Close friends' feature to allow users to send images photos and texts privately to others, and also has Instagram's photo editing system embedded into the app.

In December 2021, Threads was discontinued and shut down, mainly due to most features being rolled out Instagram and low usage compared to other social media applications.

## History

In August 2019, The Verge reported that Facebook was working on a new app, designed to promote communication between friends, after Facebook's instant messaging app Direct was shut down.

## Features

Threads aimed to provide users with a similar experience to Snapchat, focusing on private conversations with a user-specified version of Instagram's imported Close Friends feature launched in 2018.

### Core functionality

The app opens with a camera section that includes a camera button and friend icons. Users are able to send photos to friends, edit them, and capture videos for their Story. Each image on Threads could be viewed twice before automatically vanishing using Instagram's disappearing messages feature. The Status feature is allowed users to designate their own Status on their profile, selecting from a variety of pre-defined options or adding their own, complete with the required emoji. The Autostatus feature automatically notifies friends of a user's location; however, users must opt in to use this feature.

## Public reception

Threads was not well-received among Instagram's user base. Since its launch, only approximately 220,000 users globally downloaded the app, which represented less than 0.1% of Instagram's monthly active users, indicating a lack of success in driving adoption.

