Threads vs. Twitter (X)
What Do Lynn Students Prefer?
By Katie Zivley, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Meta Platforms’ new app, Threads, has become a popular alternative to X (formerly Twitter), gaining 30 million users within 24 hours of its debut.
Right off the bat, Threads is portrayed as a positive social media platform, whereas X has been increasingly been maligned as a negative space.
Threads is a great app for sharing people’s thoughts, ideas, questions or even photos. It serves as a combination of Pinterest and people’s “for you” page on Instagram, though there are other functions that make this app popular.
“I prefer Threads because I find it easier to find content that interests me,” said Mackenzie Driver-Benjamin, a Lynn sophomore. “It also connects to Instagram, which makes it easier to find people I know or follow through that.”
Users are able to post similar content on both apps, though it seems that more people will see others’ content on Threads rather than on X. One of the differences between the two platforms is the character count. On Threads, the maximum number of characters one can write is 500, whereas X only allows 280.
“The main difference between Threads and X is the primary consumer,” said Beatrice Waterman, a recent Lynn graduate. “If I want quick, credible news that I don’t have to search up, I’ll go to X. To enjoy social media peacefully and want to scroll to learn from others sharing their thoughts without bias or getting a viral post, I’ll go to Threads.”
X has a reputation for being a great social media platform for sharing news, both globally and locally. Some of the functions that X has include direct messaging, hashtag use and the fact that X is an independent app, whereas Threads is owned by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms.
Even though there are people who think X is negative, there are positives to the app as well.
“Twitter (X) has more variety and more access to things,” said Kayla Gonzalez, a Lynn sophomore.
One feature of Threads not found on X is the ability to link your Instagram and Threads account to draw in more followers. While X and Threads are similar social media platforms that are used by many, both apps’ true long-term success is yet to be seen.
