Threads, Meta’s Twitter competitor, is now official

You can now download Threads, Meta’s Twitter competitor, on both your iOS and Android devices.

Like Twitter, users can share and post text on a feed — to which followers and other people can reply. Thread users will also have the ability to post videos and images, just like Twitter.

Posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.

A big part of the Threads app is its integration with one of Meta’s flagship services, Instagram. At the moment, users will be required to already have an Instagram account to use Threads. In this way, users will be able to transfer who they follow on Instagram to their new Threads account.

In terms of privacy and security features, Meta says that users who are under 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) will default to a private profile when they join Threads.

“Instagram is where billions of people around the world connect over photos and videos. Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas,” said Meta in their Threads announcement.

“Just like on Instagram, with Threads, you can follow and connect with friends and creators who share your interests – including the people you follow on Instagram and beyond. And you can use our existing suite of safety and user controls,” it added.

You can download Threads on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store right now.