Threads — How It Started, How It's Evolving

+ Seamlessly Integrated: The Fediverse – The Connected Future of Social Media

Dec 21, 2023

Good Evening, Hamburg / Enjoy Your Lunch, Washington / and Good Morning, Seattle.

Daniel here - your guide for today’s blend of history and computer science. Indeed, before we can develop, test, and celebrate the evolving patterns of thriving Threads accounts, we must lay some groundwork.

The past two days have been a flurry of activity from the Threads team. They've been revealing plans and insights across various channels: an API announcement on Threads, a detailed blog post about the technical infrastructure, and an Instagram post shedding light on their naming process. My research into Threads' origin story, coinciding with the festive Christmas week, was timely. Each new piece of information made me wonder if I needed to adjust my editorial choices. But in the end, it all came together, leaving me confident in presenting you with a comprehensive edition of “Style & Stitches.”

What's Inside This Issue: As Thursday is our regular publication day, this issue features our first sewing pattern to enhance your social media strategy. Today's focus: automating Threads, at least to a degree.

Before we cast on: Guess the news

Do you recall the Milestone? Threads Surpassing 100 Million Users Faster Than ChatGPT. It's been 11 weeks since that major event. Now, we're a week into Threads' official EU launch, tapping into a potential user base of approximately 450 million. So, what's the first rule for us social media enthusiasts when it comes to news? Let's engage with it! Today, let's dive into one of my favorite activities: Guess the News!

What's your take? How many users do you think Threads has now? Trust your instincts and make your prediction:

Every winner will receive a special token of appreciation.

Embroidering the Story of Threads

My first professional foray into social media was with Facebook, though I had joined Twitter for personal use earlier. This experience taught me a crucial lesson about truly understanding a platform – it's all about grasping its algorithms and feeds. In-depth analysis of any new feature or modification involves a dual focus: comprehending the vision behind it and its developmental history. This approach is particularly pertinent for Meta's products.

Rather than simply mimicking the patterns of the most successful posts on Facebook, as many did, I delved into every update announced on Facebook’s blog. I sought to understand the rationale and mechanism behind each change. Over months and years, this approach led to a clear comprehension of Facebook's news feed, applicable to any Facebook page or profile. For those interested in a nostalgic trip, feel free to reach out – perhaps we could even share and discuss our old social media presentations. When Meta began more actively disclosing the workings of its news feed, it validated my analysis.

Now, let’s apply this method to Threads, beginning with its underlying vision:

My ultimate hope for Threads is that it becomes the zeitgeist of the internet. It’ll be the place you go to where you want to have positive conversations about the latest cultural events. It’ll be where you want to go to see the latest conversations between creators, or between other people that you’re interested in. — Jesse Chen, Engineering Managers at Meta

Reflecting on the Vision for Threads: Your Thoughts? As a Threads user myself, I find the vision quite exhilarating. However, it's important to remain grounded in reality – ultimately, it's the users who shape how a platform is utilized. I appreciate that Jesse Chen, in his capacity, is sharing his aspirations rather than dictating a fixed goal. This perspective was gleaned from a company blog post discussing the development of Threads. Additionally, insights into the app's inception were shared in a Meta tech podcast, and recent Instagram posts revealed the thought process behind selecting the perfect name, complemented by a fresh blog post detailing the technical infrastructure.

Here's what we've gathered from these sources:

The Birth of Threads

It began with a pair of concepts - one anticipated, the other a remarkable surprise, particularly from a company like Meta. Let's hear from Jesse Chen:

Earlier this year, a small team of engineers at Meta started working on an idea for a new app. It would have all the features people expect from a text-based conversations app, but with one very key, distinctive goal – being an app that would allow people to share their content across multiple platforms. — Jesse Chen, Engineering Managers at Meta

The idea of Threads emerged from a simple yet profound realization: the growing demand for a platform that emphasized written communication and public discussion. As Gina P., a content design director at Meta, put it, naming a product is a challenge where "opinions can be highly subjective." The team behind Threads faced the daunting task of creating a platform that resonated with users across diverse linguistic and cultural landscapes. They embarked on this journey with a clear mission: to craft an app where the "words of our users could shine," as described by content designer Troy T.

Threads distinguished itself through its minimalistic design and a focus on language. Every character in the app was meticulously crafted to carry weight and meaning, adhering to the principle that less is more. This approach was crucial, as Troy T. highlighted the importance of ensuring that "each word has to do more heavy lifting." The challenge was not just in design but also in striking a balance between functionality and simplicity.

The Process Behind Threads: Design, Feature Selection, and Naming

Content Design Strategy: Gina P., a content design director at Meta, emphasized the importance of language in product experiences. The content design team played a crucial role in the naming process, generating over 300 names before finalizing "Threads". Gina P.: "We evaluated a diverse set of factors, including what best supported the notion of public discussion, the viability of a name for non-English speaking markets — even the cringe factor."
Minimalistic Language Approach: Content designer Troy T. highlighted the challenge of using minimal text, necessitating intention and detail in every character used. For example, in a minimalistic app design, every term, label, or instruction needs to be carefully chosen to convey the maximum amount of information and functionality in the fewest possible words.
Avoiding Negative Connotations: Part of the naming process involved steering clear of names that could communicate unintended messages.
Content Design as a Core Component: The team focused on ensuring that the app’s design allowed user words to shine, reflecting the app's focus on written communication.
Public Appeal and Engagement: The app was designed to foster public discussion and engagement, influencing feature selection and naming.
Integration with Instagram: The decision to integrate Threads with Instagram was strategic, leveraging Instagram's vast user base for immediate traction.
User Experience Focus: The team aimed to create an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making public conversations easy and accessible.

A crucial factor in Threads' rapid development and capability to onboard millions of users in less than a week was leveraging Meta's existing infrastructure. As Laine Campbell and Chunqiang Tang, experts in Meta’s infrastructure, noted, Threads was built on over a decade of product and infrastructure development. This strategic decision allowed the small, nimble team of engineers to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure challenges, accelerating the development process remarkably.

Threads' launch was nothing short of phenomenal. In just five days, the app reached a milestone of 100 million users, a feat that set new records in the industry. Despite the rapid influx of users, Threads experienced no major downtime, underscoring the robustness of the underlying infrastructure and the effectiveness of the development strategy.

Establishing the Development Process for Threads:

Engineering Team Structure: A small, dedicated team of engineers from different backgrounds (backend, iOS, Android) collaborated closely.
Diverse Experience of Team Members: Team members brought varied experiences from other Meta projects, contributing to a rich development process. A small, dedicated team of engineers from different backgrounds (backend, iOS, Android) collaborated closely.
Iterative Approach: The development involved rapid iterations and feedback loops, typical of Meta's project management style.
Building on Instagram's Foundation: Utilizing Instagram's codebase and infrastructure allowed for a quicker and more reliable development process.
Emphasis on User Safety: Significant focus was placed on integrating robust content moderation and user protection features from the onset.

The Vision of A Cultural Phenomenon and Federated Future

Looking beyond the start, Threads was envisioned as a key player in the future of decentralized social networking. Jesse Chen's vision for Threads was to make social content as interoperable as email, integrating with protocols like ActivityPub. This forward-thinking approach aimed to create a more open, interconnected online community, where content and discussions transcend the boundaries of individual platforms.

Let’s hear again Jesse Chen:

Some people aren’t familiar with the idea of the fediverse (federated universe), but, for me, the easiest analogy is to think of it like email. Let’s say someone uses Gmail and another person uses Yahoo Mail. We don’t think twice that they can send and receive emails to each other, even though one is on a Google platform and the other is on Yahoo. That’s because email is interoperable and these two companies both conform to the SMTP protocol for delivering emails. But you can’t do that today on social media. People on Instagram can’t follow other creators on Tumblr, for example.

Our goal with Threads is to make social content as interoperable as email. We are working on the ability for Threads to integrate with ActivityPub, the open, decentralized social networking protocol. — Jesse Chen, Engineering Managers at Meta

Threads' Strategy for Embracing the Fediverse.

Integration with Open Standards: The app was designed to support open standards, facilitating wider content distribution and interoperability.
ActivityPub Protocol Adoption: Plans to integrate with ActivityPub were in place, promoting a more open, decentralized social networking experience.
Cross-Platform Communication: The goal was for Threads to enable users on different social networks to interact seamlessly, similar to email interoperability.
User Identity Verification: Threads allowed users to verify their identity across supported platforms, enhancing credibility and trust.
Empowering Creators: The app aims to provide creators with a platform to reach audiences across different social media apps.
Building a Platform-Agnostic Community: The vision was to create a community where content and discussions are not bound to a single platform.
Promoting Open Internet Culture: Threads was seen as a step towards a more open, interconnected Internet landscape.
Challenges in Federated Networking: Integrating diverse social platforms and maintaining seamless user experiences posed technical and logistical challenges.

First Thoughts on Cross-Stitching Connections into Fediverse

This week brought big news in the realm of decentralized social media. Last Friday marked a significant step for Threads as they began public testing of their first ActivityPub integrations. In another notable development, Flipboard announced its transformation into a federated app with ActivityPub support, signaling a shift in the social media landscape.

To delve deeper into the nuances of decentralized social media, let's listen to two prominent voices in the field. Mike McCue, the co-founder and CEO of Flipboard, discussed the evolving social media ecosystem in his podcast, featuring Eugen Rochko, the founder and CEO of Mastodon. Their conversation offers valuable perspectives on the current and future state of federated social networks.

The discussion kicked off with Rochko reflecting on Mastodon's significant growth over the past year. "Objectively speaking, yes, it does feel like a great year," he remarked, citing the platform's expansion from 200,000 to 1.6 million active users. This surge, as Rochko pointed out, is a testament to the platform's increasing mainstream awareness.

A significant portion of the dialogue revolved around the recent developments involving Threads and Meta (formerly Facebook) adopting open standards like ActivityPub, which underpins Mastodon and other decentralized platforms. "I never thought that the major players would cooperate in any way," admitted Rochko, emphasizing the game-changing nature of these events.

The conversation naturally veered towards the complexities of moderation and user safety in a decentralized network. "The way we build these platforms kind of understands that all the other parties that are going to connect are not necessarily going to be well behaved," Rochko explained, highlighting the need for robust and adaptable moderation mechanisms.

Both McCue and Rochko discussed the potential of the Fediverse to revolutionize social networking. McCue drew parallels with the early days of the internet, stating, "What's happening is the power of that network is going to grow, you know, exponentially." Rochko echoed this sentiment, envisioning a future where diverse social media experiences could coexist and interact seamlessly.

An intriguing aspect of the conversation was the financial sustenance of Mastodon. Relying primarily on Patreon donations, Rochko underscored the need for more substantial funding to scale up the team and continue Mastodon's development. "We really do need a bigger team," he stressed, outlining the aspirations to grow Mastodon beyond its current user base.

Thoughts on Threads and Meta and the Fediverse:

Threads/Meta Adopting Open Standards:
- Surprise at major players like Meta adopting open standards and playing by decentralized rules.
- Historical lack of cooperation from major platforms with decentralized initiatives.
Mixed Feelings About Meta's Involvement:
- Rochko expresses mixed feelings about Meta's involvement.
- Personal stance of not being a fan of Meta and having abandoned their platforms.
- Skepticism about whether this integration is genuinely happening.
Impact of Threads Joining the Fediverse:
- Potential positive impact due to Meta’s large user base (100 million users).
- Ability for Mastodon users to access Threads’ massive, mainstream user base.
- Optimism about federated platform’s ability to attract users from commercial platforms.
User Choice and Network Effects:
- Importance of user choice in the social network ecosystem.
- Network effects play a significant role in where users choose to create accounts.
Concerns Around Privacy and Surveillance Capitalism:
- Worries about the impact of Meta’s integration on privacy and data usage within the Fediverse.
- Discussion on Mastodon’s architectural design to protect against privacy breaches.
Moderation in the Face of New Entrants:
- How Mastodon’s architecture is built to handle potential issues with new entrants like Meta.
- The importance of adaptable and robust moderation mechanisms.
Community's Reaction to Threads/Meta:
- The Mastodon community’s diverse reactions, ranging from positive to critical.
- Discussions around the potential for Mastodon to preemptively block Threads, and the implications of such actions.
Technical Aspects of Federation with Threads/Meta:
- Technical capabilities for instance owners to handle interaction with Threads.
- User-level controls within Mastodon for domain blocking and content moderation.
The Bigger Picture of Social Media Interoperability:
- The significance of major platforms like Meta adopting open web standards.
- The long-term vision for interoperable social media platforms.
Embrace, Extend, Extinguish Concerns:
- Concerns about Meta’s strategy potentially following the 'embrace, extend, extinguish' model.
- Comparisons with the XMPP protocol’s history and its challenges with larger corporate entities.

Thoughts on the new role of social media management in a decentralized social web:

Accessibility to Larger Audiences:
- The integration of major platforms like Threads and Meta into the Fediverse opens up access to larger, mainstream audiences for brands and creators.
Enhanced User Choice and Reach:
- Social media users, including brands and creators, will have more choices in terms of platforms and can reach audiences across different networks without being confined to one platform.
Decentralization Impact:
- The shift towards decentralized platforms like Mastodon offers brands and individuals an alternative to traditional, commercial social media platforms.
Impact on Content Distribution:
- Content distribution may become more diversified, as brands and creators can engage with audiences on multiple federated platforms simultaneously.
Privacy and Data Control:
- Increased control over privacy and data for both users and brands, shifting away from the surveillance capitalism model predominant in traditional social media.
Moderation and Community Building:
- Brands and creators will need to navigate different moderation environments and community norms across various federated platforms.
Networking Effects:
- The potential for a different kind of networking effect where connections are not limited by the boundaries of a single platform but are extended across the Fediverse.
Influence of New Entrants Like Meta:
- The entrance of big players like Meta into the Fediverse could influence how brands and media companies approach social media strategy and engagement.
Changes in Marketing Strategies:
- Brands and companies may need to revise their marketing strategies to adapt to the decentralized, less commercial nature of platforms like Mastodon.
Potential for Innovative Collaboration:
- Opportunities for innovative collaborations and partnerships across different platforms within the Fediverse, potentially leading to new forms of content creation and sharing.
Shift in Audience Engagement:
- A possible shift in how audiences engage with content, driven by the diverse functionalities and user experiences offered by various federated platforms.
Adoption of Open Standards:
- Emphasis on the adoption of open standards like ActivityPub, which may become a key consideration for brands and creators when choosing platforms for outreach and engagement.

Social Sewing Pattern: Shortcut for iOS 15

Anticipating Integration with Your Favorite Social Media Apps? Here's Some Good News: The Threads engineering team has announced the commencement of the test phase for an alpha version of the Threads API. This development heralds a new era of connectivity for the platform.

A Handy Workaround for Immediate Connectivity: While we await official support from various social media apps, there's a convenient solution already available. Discovered within the announcement’s comments oh Threads, there's an iOS Shortcut that, once activated, allows you to input text which then automatically opens the Threads app and sets up your post for you. All that's left is for you to hit 'submit.'

Customizing the Shortcut – Tailoring to Your Preferences: To enhance your experience, here are 8 ways you could modify this shortcut to suit your specific needs:

Voice-to-Text Input: Modify the shortcut to use Siri's voice recognition to dictate the post content instead of typing it manually. This can be particularly useful when on-the-go.
Scheduled Posts: Integrate the shortcut with the iOS calendar to schedule posts. Users can write their content in advance and set a specific date and time for the post to be populated in Threads.
Template Options: Create a list of templates for different types of posts within the shortcut. Users can select from a menu of templates to quickly create a post without starting from scratch every time.
Clipboard Posting: Add functionality to take the latest item copied to the clipboard as the input for the post. This is useful for sharing content from other apps without the need for manual copying and pasting.
Share Sheet Integration: Integrate the shortcut into the iOS Share Sheet so that you can share content directly to Threads from other apps like Safari, Photos, or Notes.
Batch Posting: Enable the shortcut to handle multiple pieces of text input for creating several posts in a sequence. This can help in posting a series of related updates without the need to initiate the process each time.
Automatic Hashtagging: Add a feature that suggests or automatically adds relevant hashtags based on the content of the post for better discoverability.
Location-Based Posts: Integrate with the GPS functionality to add location-based tags or check-ins when creating a post in Threads, perfect for travel-related content.

You can download our social pattern of the week here (better to click the link directly from your iPhone)

Do you like this week’s insights and patterns? Feel free to share Style & Stitches.

Users Flock to Threads as X Suffers Largest Outage Since Musk Takeover
A major outage at X contributed to the platform's user bleed to Zuckerberg’s Threads. (Gizmodo)

Meta says a bug briefly blocked news for Canadian users on Threads
Meta has fixed a bug that temporarily prevented some Threads users in Canada from reading and sharing news on the app. (Engadget)

2023 in social media: the case for the fediverse
We’ve barely scratched the surface of what the open social web can be — and it’s already better than what we have. (The Verge)

Mastodon founder touts Threads' federation, saying it makes his X rival 'a far more attractive option'
Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko lauds Threads' entry into the decentralized social media space, saying the move will make Mastodon -- the open source (TechCrunch)

Coming up

Unraveling the Yarns on Threads as the Potential X/Twitter Killer App 🆕

We'll explore the dynamics that position Threads as a formidable contender in the social media arena, potentially overshadowing established giants like X and Twitter. This analysis will delve into Threads' unique features, user engagement strategies, and its potential to redefine social networking.

It’s Not Twitter: Finding Your Brand’s Voice on Threads 🆕

Discover how your brand can effectively establish its unique voice on Threads, differentiating itself from the typical Twitter narrative. We'll provide insights and strategies for brands to create a distinct presence on this emerging platform, tapping into its unique culture and user base.

Reviewing European Media's Coverage: The Transformation of Meta's 'Bad Boy' Image 🆙

We'll delve into how European media is covering Meta's evolution. Has the tech giant shed its notorious 'bad boy' image in the wake of its new ventures? This segment will explore the nuances of media portrayal and public perception

Interpreting Usage Trends: A Temporary Dip or Long-term Decline? 🆙

Graphics and statistics showing a decline in Threads usage have surfaced, but do they signify a long-term failure or a mere temporary setback? This section will provide a deeper analysis of these trends and what they could mean for the future of Threads.

Style Checks: Successful Social Patterns by Brands on Threads

Of course, we'll also take a look at how brands are successfully leveraging Threads. From creative patterns to strategic engagements, we'll highlight examples of how brands are making their mark on this new platform.

Topics vs. Hashtags: Implications for Community Building

What does the shift from hashtags to topics signify for community engagement on social platforms? We'll analyze the impact of this change on Threads and discuss how it might influence the way communities form and interact.

Community knitting: Beginner’s Guide 🆕

Let’s craft a community template for a guide, socials can hand out to co-workers or customers to get started on Threads. The two pagers should kickstart people’s experience, even if they know Twittter/X just from the News. We collect all input, vote on it and then the guide will be available for all subscribers.

We Want to Hear from You!

What are your burning questions regarding Threads? Is there a specific topic or feature you'd like us to explore? Let us know in the comments or feel free to hit the reply button.

Stitch on,

Daniel

If you enjoyed this newsletter, I'd be thrilled if you could give me a shoutout to your social media besties!

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Crafting term of the day: Embroidery - the art of decorating fabric.

From Europe with <3