In a recent statement, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has said that the new Threads app does not plan to focus on news amplification, potentially impacting its rivalry with Elon Musk’s X.
As reported by TechCrunch, Mosseri made it clear that Threads wouldn’t be a direct competitor to X in terms of news.
Both Instagram and Facebook, under the Meta umbrella, have faced challenges related to news content, including battling fake news, clickbait, and political bias accusations.
Despite past issues, Threads, owned by Meta, could attract X users unhappy with recent changes on Musk’s platform. However, if Threads avoids embracing news content, it won’t serve as a one-to-one replacement for X.
At a recent Instagram creator event, Mosseri explained their approach to news: “We want to empower creators… We’re not anti-news, but we want to be really careful not to over-promise and under-deliver.”
He reiterated these sentiments on Threads, emphasizing that they wouldn’t amplify news. News would exist on the platform, but Threads aims to avoid taking risks due to its platform’s maturity.
Threads’ reluctance to “amplify” news could, however, affect its potential as an X alternative.
Real-time news is a core component of X, and it’s challenging to replicate. Threads had an opportunity to do so but appears hesitant.
Moreover, Mosseri’s claim that Threads isn’t obstructing news is questioned as the platform has already blocked certain news-related search terms, including “covid.”
Without a focus on news, Threads faces the challenge of fulfilling its mission to become a discussion platform at scale.
Mark Zuckerberg suggested that Threads’ avoidance of news might be a solution. He pointed out that Twitter can feel negative and critical due to its emphasis on intense debates.
Threads aims to be a more positive and friendly place for discussion, departing from generating debates around news events.
However, while positive discussion is a desirable goal, it may lack the excitement and dynamism that X offers.
