In a revelation that hints at increased competition in the social media landscape, a Meta employee accidentally shared a screenshot showcasing an upcoming feature of Threads. This new feature is the addition of Trending Topics, strikingly similar to Twitter, formerly known as X.
Threads vs. X: A Battle of the Titans
Meta’s Threads, a text-based social media platform, made its debut in July this year with the ambitious goal of challenging Twitter, now rebranded as X. Threads witnessed an impressive surge in popularity, amassing millions of downloads within a mere five days of its launch. Moreover, for Instagram users, the transition to Threads was made seamless, allowing for easy account migration. This fueled speculation that Threads might eventually replace X, especially as the latter had been facing user dissatisfaction due to several concerns.
However, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri clarified that Threads was not designed to be a replacement for Twitter. Instead, it was intended as an alternative platform catering to users seeking a ‘less confrontational’ environment. Despite this official stance, several striking similarities between the two platforms have not gone unnoticed.
Threads’ New Feature: Trending Topics
The latest development in this burgeoning rivalry comes in the form of a new feature for Threads. According to a report by Livemint, an accidental post by a Meta employee unveiled the impending arrival of “Trending Topics.” This feature will offer users insights into the most discussed subjects and popular conversations on Threads. A screenshot of the feature was first discovered by app developer William Max. It was inadvertently shared by the Meta employee in a Threads post.
The Trending Topics feature is anticipated to display trending subjects in numerical order below a search bar. Additionally, it will provide information about the number of posts related to each topic. This mirrors the existing feature on Twitter (X), where users receive notifications about trending topics and popular discussions.
Mark Zuckerberg’s Teaser
The potential arrival of Trending Topics on Threads was hinted at by Mark Zuckerberg himself through a previous post. He shared his excitement, indicating that “search is coming to Threads” and that it would be rolling out to most English and Spanish-speaking countries. This further underscored the competitive nature of the Meta-owned platform in the evolving social media landscape.
Threads vs. Twitter (X): The Resemblance
Threads offers several features that bear a close resemblance to Twitter (X). For instance, Threads categorizes its content feed into “For You” and “Following” sections, enabling users to view a blend of posts from followed profiles and recommended accounts. Additionally, Threads recently introduced the Translations feature, automatically converting posts into the viewer’s preferred language.
Both Threads and Twitter (X) permit users to interact with posts through actions like reporting, liking, and commenting. While both platforms originally focused on text-based content, Twitter (X) has expanded its capabilities to support lengthy videos, further intensifying the competition.
As Threads continues to evolve and borrow features from its competitors, it’s evident that the social media arena is witnessing an exciting rivalry between the giants in the field.”