By Ranjona Banerji
A thread is a series of connected tweets on Twitter.
(Okay, a thread is many other things but in this social media universe we live in, this is one definition.)
Threads is also the new Twitter-ish app/platform launched by Meta.
For a while now, users of the world’s most popular and yet largely unprofitable social media platform (which is not about influencers and short videos) have tried to find a suitable alternative.
The reasons were many, and that’s even before maverick billionaire Elon Musk bid for and was forced to buy Twitter because his tantrum was taken seriously in the world of grownups.
Twitter’s policies regarding fascist governments, regarding trolls, regarding bigotry led to much unhappiness. Often algorithms would misunderstand sarcasm or anger, which would lead to people being suspended. Redressal methods were not always clear. And the refusal to let users edit simple mistakes was irksome.
The first big move was a Mastodon, a community-run platform. In the beginning it was great. The trolls did not find it comfortable. So it appeared to be less toxic. The community-monitoring –whatever the technical term is — made it feel safer and friendlier. But in the end, it became a bit boring.
The tragedy for the newsperson and the news seeker is, no matter the loud protestations to the contrary, good news is not exciting. People’s eyes glaze over and they move on. Many “good news” pages have tried and failed in newspapers. We are creatures of gossip, excitement and most of all, schadenfreude. That is why gossip magazines, or now websites, or Insta accounts about celebrity wrongdoings outstrip more serious journals in popularity. Spice and crime, that’s the base. Gossip runs the human race.
So maybe the goodie-goodies stayed with Mastodon. The rest moved out.
The big problem with Twitter, and this has nothing to do with Musk, is that it created an easy to use and share platform. Flaws notwithstanding. You could catch the news from a large variety of global sources. You could open discussions with people from everywhere, famous, infamous, unknown, like-minded and diverse.
Yes, the trolls could be toxic and difficult. Yes, reporting them was not always successful. But for the person interested in world events and commentary, Twitter is invaluable. Even after Musk removed the safeguards and sacked the staff that attempted to keep Twitter safer, it is still easier to use.
Threads as of now, has its possibilities. Although it belongs to Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and thus has an enormous captive base, Threads is not the best designed. As of now, it is not easily negotiable. Even if it is a Twitter copy, it is not a clone. Its attempt to be different has not made it any better.
Perhaps these are minor glitches. Meta has been largely successful in bringing in users – the massive shift to Threads is a case in point – and keeping them sweet. The problem of course is that Meta’s track record shows that it is even worse than Musk when it comes to promoting rightwing bigotry. Meta is also far more adept at invisible manipulation of users.
Musk is like a little boy with his new toy which he didn’t really want, doesn’t understand and is now uncertain whether to destroy or make it work his way. Meta is devious and has far more experience with social media.
As of now, Twitter runs on its own steam, on the legacy left behind by its founders. One of whom, Jack Dorsey, has now formulated his own Twitter alternative, Blue Sky, still being tested.
So if you lose the thread, perhaps you can still fly?
Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.