Mark Zuckerberg’s Threads Is Catching Up To Elon Musk’s X

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Wednesday that Instagram Threads, a rival to Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), has achieved 175 million monthly active users. This milestone signals Threads’ growing potential to surpass X, especially considering the latter’s challenges since Musk’s acquisition. Despite Musk’s claims of X’s popularity, with 550 million monthly active users, analysts point to a different narrative: X is struggling compared to its social media competitors.

Since Musk took over X in late 2022, the platform has seen a decline in user engagement. By March 2024, daily active users on X had dropped by 23%. In contrast, April marked a turning point for Threads, which boasted 28 million daily active users compared to X’s 22 million. This shift underscores the growing appeal of Threads, which markets itself as a “less angry” and more positive social media platform.

Zuckerberg’s vision for Threads includes integrating it into a broader digital ecosystem known as the “fediverse,” aiming to offer a healthier social media environment. This strategic positioning not only differentiates Threads from X but also aligns with a growing demand for less toxic online spaces.

The platform’s popularity has been further bolstered by high-profile users like Taylor Swift. Meta’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, highlighted the significance of Swift’s presence on Threads during an interview at the Bloomberg Technology Summit in May. He noted that the connection to Instagram allows influencers like Swift to easily mobilize their fan base and leverage their existing social media presence.

Threads’ rapid growth and strategic advantages suggest it could soon overtake X in terms of user engagement and overall influence. As the competition intensifies, Zuckerberg’s Threads is well-positioned to become a leading player in the social media landscape, offering a compelling alternative to Musk’s X.