Responding to the dynamic digital shifts in the Asia Pacific, Meta (previously Facebook) gears up to roll out a major enhancement to its Threads platform, addressing user concerns from the region and further afield.
Key Highlights:
- Meta to introduce a separate account deletion option for Threads by December.
- The update will allow users to delete Threads without affecting their Instagram accounts.
- Over 10 million users joined Threads within hours of its launch in July.
- Meta is also exploring integration with the fediverse, enhancing its interoperability.
Threads, which was introduced by Meta in July as a competitor to Elon Musk’s microblogging platform, X (previously known as Twitter), witnessed an overwhelming response. The platform saw a surge of over 10 million registrations within mere hours of its launch. However, it wasn’t without its challenges.
One of the primary concerns users expressed was the intertwined nature of Threads with Instagram. Under the initial setup, deleting a Threads account inadvertently led to the removal of the user’s Instagram account. This integration was a significant deterrent for many who wished to explore Threads without compromising their Instagram presence.
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Addressing this concern, Michel Protti, Meta’s Chief Privacy Officer (Product), announced at the recent TechCrunch Disrupt event that the company is in the advanced stages of developing a feature that would decouple Threads from Instagram. This means users will soon have the autonomy to delete their Threads account without any repercussions on their Instagram profile. The anticipated rollout of this feature is set for December.
While Protti did not specify whether this update would be available across all platforms, including Android, iOS, and desktop, he emphasized the complexity of this undertaking. Currently, the platform only allows users to deactivate their Threads account, ensuring their Instagram remains unaffected.
In addition to this, Protti shed light on Meta’s plans to integrate Threads with the fediverse – a decentralized network of servers designed for seamless communication. This move aligns with Meta’s earlier announcements about making Threads compatible with the ActivityPub protocol. However, the company is treading cautiously, especially when considering scenarios where a user might want to delete a Threads post that’s already been shared to another server.
