New Social Media Platform, Threads, Launches. What Does That Mean for Schools?

Threads, a new social media platform made by Meta, launched this week. As an organization, you need to consider the implications of joining a new social media platform and monitor where your alumni are. You want to communicate with them where and when they wish to engage. If Threads continues to grow in followers, it might be worth considering adopting to your social media strategy. That said, when you are considering adopting it for your school, here are a few things to know.*

• You can create an account using your Instagram login. You CANNOT delete your threads account unless you also delete your Instagram account
• You can automatically follow the same accounts as you do on Instagram, or customize to the individual accounts you do want to follow.
• Threads is being marketed as a “text based conversation app.” It has very similar text based tools as Twitter, a 500 character limit, you can tag a user using the @ symbol, and you can reply to everyone within a thread or followers.
• Photos and videos can be posted.

There are some differences between Twitter and Threads:

• There are no hashtags
• There is no desktop version, it can only be used when downloaded as an app from the app store.
• There is no Direct Messaging. There is only public messaging within a thread.

Posts also follow Meta’s posting scheme:

• Posts aren’t delivered chronologically, the content is put forth dependent on an algorithm ranking.
• Users will see posts from all over, not just the followers of an account.

Please note: Threads will likely be launching and changing features as more people adopt the platform. Our information is based on day of launch knowledge.