Twitter threatens legal action over Threads
Twitter threatens to take legal action over Threads, with an attorney from Twitter describing it as a “copycat” and claiming that it is developed by former Twitter employees using the company’s trade secrets. The attorney writes:
Twitter has serious concerns that Meta Platforms has engaged in systemic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property. The company plans to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights.
Meta declines to comment on the letter, but director Andy Stone responds on Threads:
No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee — that’s just not a thing.
Zuckerberg: Thirty million users join Threads
Zuckerberg says thirty million users have signed up for Meta’s newly launched Threads app on its first day, The app allows users to post up to 500 characters, and has many features similar to Twitter. When asked on Threads whether the app will be “bigger than Twitter”, Zuckerberg said:
It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully we will.
Yaccarino: Twitter ‘often imitated’ but never duplicated
After the release of Threads, Yaccarino tweets that the Twitter community is “often imitated,” but never duplicated. Many Twitter users have taken to the platform to point out similarities between Threads and Twitter, with Zuckerberg himself even taking several shots at Twitter.
YOU built the Twitter community. And that’s irreplaceable…This is your public square. We’re often imitated — but the Twitter community can never be duplicated.
On Twitter, everyone's voice matters.
Whether you’re here to watch history unfold, discover REAL-TIME information all over the world, share your opinions, or learn about others — on Twitter YOU can be real.
YOU built the Twitter community. 🙏👏 And that's irreplaceable. This…
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) July 6, 2023
Threads appears on app stores for pre-order
Threads becomes available for pre-order on iPhone and Android, in advance of its expected launch on Thursday, July 6. Screenshots on the Apple App Store show that Threads looks much like Twitter: users can use their Instagram username to post text with or without images. Meta:
Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.
Zuckerberg accepts Musk’s ‘cage fight’ challenge
In response to a conversation about Zuckerberg’s Meta launching a ‘sane’ version of Twitter, a Twitter user warns Musk that he should ‘be careful” because the Facebook CEO “does the ju jitsu now”. Musk responds:
I’m up for a cage match if he is lol
I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options.
At least it will be “sane”. Was worried there for a moment 😅.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 21, 2023
I’m up for a cage match if he is lol
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 21, 2023
Zuckerberg replies on his verified Instagram account:
Send me location
Musk responds that the match should be in Vegas Octagon, while also mocking his lack of athletic skills.
Vegas Octagon. I have this great move that I call “The Walrus”, where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing
I have this great move that I call “The Walrus”, where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 22, 2023
Zuckerberg is an aspirational MMA fighter who is already winning Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. He also claims to have recently completed the gruelling “Murph Challenge” workout in just under 40 minutes. Previously, Musk challenged Vladimir Putin to ‘single combat’.