While Meta’s attempt to make Twitter even more redundant than it already is has started off strong, with millions of people signing up in the first day, the initial launch of Threads leaves me seething with hate.
Upon downloading the app, I was immediately greeted by a timeline of people who I’ve muted or blocked on Twitter. This, despite following my Instagram friends who I actually want to see content from. This is one of my major gripes with all social media platforms, that they push content on you from outside sources in an attempt to keep you on the platform for longer. Personally, it just makes me log out. I hated Twitter because of this shit (and the Nazis), and Meta just straight up copied one of the worst aspects of it.
It also appears that verified accounts are getting preference on the timeline, but that’s probably just because they’re the biggest accounts getting the most interaction due to importing from Instagram. Still, I don’t want to see posts just because they’re popular. Oscar Wilde said it best, “Everything popular is wrong.” Just because the lowest common denominator likes something doesn’t mean I will. In fact, I’ll probably hate it. I already know too much about these high-profile losers against my will.
All I need out of a social media app is to be able to follow my friends and businesses that I actually care about, and see their content. I don’t need an algorithm determining what I’m exposed to. I trust the people I follow to have good taste and share good shit. If not, I unfollow or mute them, simple. But I’ve spent most of my first day on Threads muting and blocking 99% of the accounts that pop up on my feed. I’ve muted or blocked well over 300 accounts, and that should not be how I have to spend the first day on the app. Oh, and if you block someone, their posts remain on your feed until you mute them as well. Don’t ask me why, I have no clue.
I also can’t post gifs, the foundation of the meme economy. What the fuck?
Siloing things off into an app is also sketchy. I hate that Instagram’s functionality is just straight up shit through a browser, and Threads doesn’t appear to even have browser functionality, despite being built on the ActivityPub protocol which is the backbone of the Fediverse. It immediately feels like another way for Meta to collect data on us, as if they don’t already have enough. After a quick search, it seems like my gut feeling was correct. Apparently, according to Tech Crunch, it hasn’t launched in Europe because it’s a “privacy nightmare”. The article states, “Information provided about the app’s privacy via mandatory disclosures required on iOS shows the app may collect highly sensitive information about users in order to profile their digital activity — including health and financial data, precise location, browsing history, contacts, search history and other sensitive information.” This is nothing new from Meta, or any online media company these days, but it is something we should all be concerned about and unwilling to accept.
You also can’t delete your account without deleting your Instagram account, which is another red flag and a sign that your data is being consolidated.
If what they say is true, that you’ll eventually be able to interact across federated platforms, then Mastodon’s appeal only grows. If I can interact with posters on Threads through Mastodon, then I’ll just stick there where I have more control over my timeline and don’t have to worry about as much of my data being collected, or being exposed to ads- which you know will eventually flood Threads.
The big question though, is it necessary? Do we really need another micro-blogging platform in 2023? Especially one owned by the biggest social media company in the world? Their only goal is to keep you scrolling so you can see more ads. That’s it. And now they have 3 platforms to target you on. 4 if you count the Metaverse (I don’t). 5 if you include WhatsApp (I kinda do but it’s not quite the same as the others). Yes, it’s more “free” exposure, but if you’re wasting time shitposting instead of creating dope shit, it’s costing you more than you realise.
I don’t know how long I’ll stick around on Threads. I’m straight up not having a good time with it on day one, but I also know I’m addicted to shitposting on the internet and getting little dopamine hits for it. Still, if I have to wade through empty platitudes, stolen jokes, and vapid influencers and celebrities just to see the occasional post by the people I actually follow, then I don’t need it. Those of us who have stuff to promote will probably get a little boost in exposure and clickthroughs to start, just like in the beginning of Facebook and Twitter, but if you don’t think you’ll eventually have to pay to get that reach, you haven’t been paying attention.
Enjoy me moaning about things that suck? Here’s why I think battle of the bands suck.
