Threads pinches Bluesky’s best feature to middling results
Threads, Meta’s answer to Twitter, is bringing its own version of Bluesky’s Starter Packs to the platform. Announced by Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, the feature has received a mixed reception with some welcoming the decision and others blasting the platform.
Bluesky, another competing Twitter alternative, features “starter packs”. These can be made by any user and allow for a curated list of accounts to follow. It’s been praised as a quick way to build up following lists and as a great method of highlighting particular people.
However, Threads’ version has already drawn ire. Initially, starter packs on Threads won’t be able to be made by anyone and only select accounts. ">Mosseri has said that for now only “community leaders” will be able to share these.
In a follow-up response asking for anyone to make packs, the plan is to make the option available publicly.
Threads now has starter packs, but not how you’d want
It’s not known how long the feature will be locked behind specifically chosen individuals, with reactions ridiculing the temporary measure. On Bluesky, tech pundit, and PR specialist Ed Zitron said that Meta “has no idea how social networks work and what makes them good.”
Piggybacking off of your Instagram account, Threads was quickly put out after the Elon Musk buyout of Twitter. As Twitter, now X, began to lose users due to Musk’s decisions, multiple replacements began to pop up. Threads hasn’t been the best received, but Meta claims over 275 million people use the app.
Meanwhile, Bluesky appears to be going from strength to strength. Since the Twitter alternative’s massive rise – surpassing 25 million accounts – one user said it “continues to benefit Threads users” as Meta has increased shipping features.
However, some users on Bluesky are beginning to turn on starter packs. The en masse following some users do, is resulting in certain people getting unwanted interactions on the platform.
The post Threads pinches Bluesky’s best feature to middling results appeared first on ReadWrite.