Just how similar is Instagram’s chatty new app, Threads, to Twitter? As Twitter threatens legal action against Meta, the parent company of Instagram, the debate surrounding the new text-based app continues to escalate. Twitter has labelled Threads a “copycat”, but Threads creators dismiss these allegations. Legal experts express uncertainty about the situation. “It’s sort of a big question mark,” says Jacob Noti-Victor, an associate professor at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo Law School. The public’s observations and opinions on Threads are divided.
Alexandra Popken, Twitter’s former head of trust and safety operations, believes there are key differences between Threads and Twitter. She highlights the distinct user base of each platform. While Twitter primarily caters to politicians, celebrities, and news junkies, Threads draws its audience from Instagram. However, Threads is also likely to attract journalists and politicians seeking an alternative to Twitter.
The CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, clarifies that Threads is not meant to replace Twitter. Instead, it aims to create a public square for communities that may not have embraced Twitter and for those looking for a less contentious environment for conversations.
In a cease-and-desist letter, Alex Spiro, an attorney representing Twitter, accuses Meta of hiring former Twitter employees to unlawfully use Twitter’s trade secrets. However, Meta denies these claims by stating that none of the Threads engineering team members are former Twitter employees. Legal experts find it challenging to identify the specific trade secrets mentioned in the letter.
The accusations of intellectual property violations and the claim of Meta scraping Twitter’s data further complicate the dispute between the two companies. However, experts note that the Silicon Valley industry often draws inspiration from competitors when developing new products and services.
Twitter’s actions may partially stem from a desire for publicity and a strategic response on both legal and business fronts. It wouldn’t be the first time Elon Musk’s legal team has taken such measures. Meta has a history of creating standalone apps that compete with existing platforms.
While the debate continues, Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey jokes about the proliferation of Twitter clones. As for Alexandra Popken, she finds Threads enjoyable to use so far, appreciating the absence of “bad actors.” However, she acknowledges the inevitability of content moderation problems surfacing on the app in the future.
For now, the future of Threads remains uncertain. Users and legal experts eagerly await more details and potential litigation that might shed light on the accusations against Meta. As the competition between different social media platforms heats up, only time will tell the outcome of this dispute.
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
