The Daily

Will Threads Kill Twitter?

Jul 10, 2023

Mike Isaac, a technology correspondent for The New York Times, discusses the launch of Meta's Threads and its rapid growth, surpassing 30 million downloads in just 16 hours. He explores the vulnerabilities of Twitter post-Elon Musk's acquisition and its struggles with user experience and advertiser relations. Isaac analyzes how Threads aims to create a friendlier alternative, leveraging Instagram's user base while navigating challenges of maintaining a positive culture. The tech landscape's shift to new innovations like AI and the metaverse also adds intrigue to this competitive landscape.

33:14

Creator website

Episode guests

Mike Isaac

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Hardfork: Exploring Tech Industry Challenges and the Future

01:38

Intro

3min

Twitter's Transformation Under Musk

9min

Navigating the Tensions between AI and Social Media Monetization

3min

The Rise of Threads as a Threat to Twitter

2min

Meta's Bold Move: Launching Threads

14min

Banking Innovations and Current Events

3min

Last week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, released Threads, a social media platform to compete with Twitter. In just 16 hours, Threads was downloaded more than 30 million times.

Mike Isaac, who covers tech companies and Silicon Valley for The Times, explains how Twitter became so vulnerable and discusses the challenges Meta faces to create a less toxic alternative.

Guest: Mike Isaac, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Threads is on pace to exceed 100 million users within two months, a feat achieved only by ChatGPT.
Here’s what to know about Threads and how it differs from Twitter.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.