🧵 Who Really Needs Threads?
Two years ago today, Meta launched Threads. 🎂 Time for a Style & Stitches Public Hearing: Does the world really need another platform — especially this one?
🕕 It’s 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday in Berlin. In New York, it’s just past noon — 12:00 p.m., lunchtime chatter and weekend plans. In LA, it’s a slow 9:00 a.m. — coffee brewing, sunlight creeping in.
🎉 And yet: across all three time zones, one thing’s true — Everyone’s ready to celebrate a birthday. 🧵🎂
🖐️ Hey everyone, Daniel here — exactly two years ago, Meta rolled out Threads across 100 countries. So this week, we’re staging our very first Style & Stitches Public Hearing. The topic on trial? 🧶 The birthday platform itself.
Since its launch, Threads has proven that media outlets and brands can thrive — even extending into the Fediverse. But the bigger question is: Should they?
🧵 Over the past year, Threads evolved from a hyped Twitter clone into a 300M‑user network. Newsweek says its Threads referral traffic is now 20× higher than from X. Even brands like Wendy’s jumped in early to cultivate a community-first vibe.
🧠 What’s Inside this issue: But what about everyone else? Do we actually need Threads — or is this just Meta weaving its own future?
🎙️ Testifying today:
👤 The Users – craving calm after the Twitter chaos
🧠 Meta – spinning big plans and even bigger features
💼 Advertisers – chasing engagement (with guardrails)
🛰️ The Fediverse – skeptical, but alert
Court is in session. Let’s hear those opening statements →
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1️⃣ 👤 Testimony #1: The People
“We didn’t ask for another app. But we definitely needed an alternative.”
Threads launched at the exact right time: July 5th., 2023, when X was falling apart, and digital citizens were scrambling for something — anything — that wasn’t full of bots, instability, or billionaire drama.
📈 Threads reached 100 million signups in five days — a record. But that didn’t last. Engagement fell fast. Why? No trending topics. No hashtags. No direct messages. And a feed full of people you didn’t follow.
But Meta played the long game. They patched holes. Introduced a Following-only feed. Improved discovery. By mid-2024, many users found themselves back on the app, if only quietly.
Now, Threads is described by users as “Pinterest meets old Twitter.” A little slower. A little calmer. More personal. Less toxic.
And here’s the kicker: Threads posts get 73% more engagement than tweets. People are clicking, liking, replying — even if fewer are shouting. It feels more like conversation, less like performance.
That said, critics still argue: it’s Instagram’s Twitter clone. For casual browsing? Sure. For breaking news and niche communities? Not yet.
“My community stayed on X,” one user told us.
Others said the culture just doesn’t feel like home. It took Twitter four years to find its identity. Threads is still searching for its identity — will Meta be that patient for two more years?
🧵Style & Stitches Verdict? Threads fills a void. But is it a platform people choose, or just the least-worst option left?
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2️⃣ 🧠 Testimony #2: Meta, the Architect
“We think a billion people could use Threads.” — Zuckerberg
Meta’s ambition is never small. From the start, Threads was built to scale. It wasn’t just a new app — it was a backup plan for public discourse.
Threads was bundled with Instagram accounts from launch. You didn’t need to start from scratch. Your handle, followers, and content model carried over. That gave Threads instant momentum.
Even as engagement dipped, Meta remained patient. They kept iterating:
🔧 Web version.
🔧 Chronological feeds.
🔧 Post editing.
🔧 Global rollout.
By early 2025, Threads boasted 320M monthly active users — on par with where X once stood. But it was Meta’s next move that shook the scene:
🔗 Threads entered the Fediverse — integrating with ActivityPub, the protocol that powers Mastodon.
For Meta, this wasn’t just a nod to openness. It was a chess move. Instead of fighting the Fediverse, they’re trying to own a door into it — creating a bridge (and maybe a moat).
Meta frames it as empowering users. Critics call it containment in disguise. Either way, the signal is clear: Threads is now part of a decentralization conversation that no one expected Meta to join.
Oh, and monetization? That’s ramping up too. Ads are starting to appear. Meta plans to offer its full suite of tools — targeting, insights, optimization — within Threads. It’s not a side project anymore. It’s a serious business channel.
✂️Style & Stitches Verdict? Meta absolutely needs Threads. As X falters, Threads becomes its public square — and revenue funnel.
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3️⃣ 💼 Testimony #3: The Marketers
“X is chaos. Threads is community.”
Brands didn’t leave X because they were bored. They left because it became a reputational risk. Advertisers need context they can control. Threads offered a familiar interface with fewer surprises.
Right away, Meta reassured marketers:
✔️ Brand safety standards would match Instagram.
✔️ Ads wouldn’t appear next to hate speech.
✔️ Community tone would be positive by design.
Marketers were skeptical — until they saw the engagement. Brands that posted on Threads got early boosts. People weren’t just scrolling, they were reacting. Comments were conversational. Likes were generous. The algorithm wasn’t drowning their posts.
Fast adopters like Wendy’s leaned into Threads with a playful, behind-the-scenes tone. Others tested product drops, AMAs, and memes.
As one CMO told us: “Threads is what Twitter was before it got weird.”
Still, the lack of analytics and business tools held some companies back — but that’s changing fast. Meta’s rolling out insights, boosting, and ads at scale.
🪡Style Stitches Verdict? Brands need Threads because they need somewhere to talk to people that isn’t a flaming algorithmic mess. And Threads, for now, fits the brief.
Become A Fediverse Explorer With Us 🧵
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4️⃣ 🛰 Testimony #4: The Fediverse
“We didn’t build the decentralized web so Meta could plug in a marketing funnel.”
This is the most philosophical part of our hearing. Threads isn’t just a platform — it’s now federated. And that means it’s trying to plug into a network built specifically to not be owned by companies like Meta.
Mastodon admins were divided.
🛑 Some blocked Threads from federating with their servers.
🔁 Others welcomed the chance to grow.
🧩 Many remained cautiously curious.
The concern is this: Meta could co-opt the culture, just like Big Tech has with other open platforms. But others say Threads might bring millions of new users to decentralized social media — users who never would’ve found it otherwise.
This tension is still unfolding. Meta has so far implemented federation with limited scope — no full two-way access yet, but the pipes are connecting.
Verdict? The Fediverse doesn’t need Threads. But if it can survive its embrace, it might just reach a larger audience than ever before.
Meta has already been preparing for today’s anniversary, releasing a few updates in recent days:
📨 1. Direct Messages (DMs) Now Official for Everyone
Launched on July 1, 2025, Meta has begun the global rollout of a native messaging system within Threads for users aged 18 and above — meaning you no longer need to route conversations through Instagram.
Features & What’s Next:
- Starting with private one-on-one chats between Threads users or mutual Instagram followers
- Coming soon: Group chats, inbox filters, and message request options to allow messages from non-followers
Important: Messages are not end-to-end encrypted
✨ 2. Highlighter for Featured Posts
This new visual feature highlights unique perspectives or trending content in the "For You" feed.
Goal: Encourage users to join active conversations and spotlight engaging contributions.5️⃣ ⚖️ Final Ruling: So… Who Really Needs Threads?
Let’s recap what we’ve learned in this hearing:
👤 Users need something better than what X became — and Threads is filling that gap.
🧠 Meta needs Threads to protect its turf and expand into text-based content.
💼 Advertisers need a safe space to talk to real people.
🛰 The Fediverse? Doesn't need Threads — but may cautiously benefit from it.
📌 The bottom line: Threads is no longer a flash-in-the-pan clone. It’s becoming a persistent, evolving layer of the social web. Whether it becomes essential will depend on what it does next — and who sticks around.
Until then: the platform stands. The case remains open. And the feed keeps rolling.
🧵 The public hearing is adjourned — for now.
🔍 Open Question for the Next Issue of Style & Stitches: Threads is more than just a side project for Meta — it has become a strategic pillar supporting various corporate goals.
There’s also the increasingly important symbiosis between AI offerings and social networks, which we explored a month ago. What does this mean for the relevance of the microblogosphere? Has it gained influence over the past year, even if user numbers remain modest? It’s time to revisit our mapping of the microblogosphere — last updated in December 2023.
🧵 OpenAI’s Own Social Media App — How Much Twitter Will Be in It?
🕘 Berlin marks 9PM. New York greets the afternoon at 3PM. LA hits high noon at 12PM.