The introduction of rate limits by Threads, a competitor app to Meta’s offerings, has sparked controversy and garnered attention from notable figures such as Elon Musk. While Twitter had implemented similar restrictions earlier, the move by Threads drew criticism from Musk, who found it oppressive.
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, also commented on the matter, stating that Threads would tighten its approach to rate limits due to spam attacks. Musk, known for his witty remarks, took the opportunity to poke fun at the situation, responding to an older tweet showcasing Threads’ rate limits in action.
On July 1, Twitter enforced changes in its policy, affecting numerous users who were temporarily limited to viewing 600 tweets per day due to extensive data scraping and system manipulation. Interestingly, Meta’s competitor app, Threads, became available for pre-order on App Stores shortly after. While Threads is still working on additional essential features, Mosseri intends to expedite the app’s release. Thus, the rate-limit controversy surrounding Twitter may have played a role in Threads’ accelerated launch.
Despite garnering significant popularity, with 100 million users in just five days, Threads ironically falls prey to the same changes that potentially prompted its early release. Although there have been fewer user limitations reports than Twitter, Mosseri acknowledged the potential for false positives.
Nevertheless, Musk found ammunition in mocking Threads, as the higher-ups at Twitter appeared unsettled by the rapid rise of their competitor.
Musk further responded to a screenshot of Mosseri’s post about rate limits, laughing and labeling it as a copycat move. Interestingly, Musk’s lawyer also used the term “copycat” in a cease-and-desist letter accusing Meta of hiring ex-Twitter staff to create a similar app—a claim denied by the creators of Threads.
The rate-limit controversy surrounding Threads has generated attention and humor from Elon Musk, emphasizing the competitive dynamics between Meta and its emerging rival. The reactions to the rate limits shed light on the intricacies of the social media landscape and the efforts made by various platforms to manage user experiences.