There's A New Social Media App In Town Called 'Threads.' What You Need To Know Before You Sign Up

There's a new social media app in town called Threads, created by Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. It resembles Twitter and offers similar features and more. If you've seen your friends' posts about Threads on your newsfeed but don't know what it is, don't sign up yet! let's break it down for you before your child hears about it.

What is Threads?

Threads, launched today on July 6, has already gained 10 million users within its first seven hours. According to Mark Zuckerberg, it is a "friendly" rival to Twitter, which is now owned by Elon Musk. If you have an Instagram account, signing up for Threads is a breeze. Simply download the app from the App Store for iPhone or the Google Play Store for Android users.

In Threads, you can post text up to 500 characters, photos, videos, or links, similar to Twitter. However, unlike Twitter, hashtags do not work on this platform.

Can my child be on Threads?

Regarding children using this app, it's important to note that social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are ideally for ages 13 and up. Therefore, it is not advisable for kids to be on Threads.

Rosie Domingo, a mom of three and member of the Smart Parenting Mom Squad, mentioned that she won't let her kids use the app for now. She made the mistake of allowing her teen son to use TikTok and wants to observe Threads for a few months before deciding. "If conversations / threads are more fun and healthy than toxic and inaccurate, then I’ll allow," she said.

Blogger dad Joma Vicencio also said that he won't let his 8-year-old sign up for the app due to its novelty.

The newest member of the Smart Parenting Dad Squad, Papa Jomsi is concerned about whether there will be filters to ban adult content. However, when it comes to his teen nephew, he plans to explain the potential consequences of certain choices, and allow the teen to make their own decision.

Parents in the Facebook group, Smart Parenting Village, are also signing up for Threads. Feedback from these parents has been positive so far, with one mom describing it as "like the good old days of Twitter." Others mentioned that it's been "clean" and "minimal," and one mom called it a "cleaner Twitter."

READ ALSO: Instagram Rolls Out Parental Control Updates For Teens

What should you know before signing up

Before signing up and joining the trend, it's important to know about Threads' Supplemental Privacy Policy. You can deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but deleting your Instagram account is the only way to delete your Threads profile.

Once you've created an account, the people who follow you will be able to see your activity, such as likes and replies, especially if your account is set to public.

Should you sign up on Threads?

Some celebrity parents who are already on Threads include Bianca Gonzalez, Erwan Heussaff, and Dimples Romana.

'A promising platform'

Ronna Capili Bonifacio, Smart Parenting's editor-in-chief and mom of three, has shared her thoughts on Threads, saying, "It's still quite early but what it looks like so far is the "early days" of Twitter, as I've been hearing others on Threads say. Personally, I loved those days. What seems to make it different is the use of threads to organize a thought or topic, so for anyone who likes depth when they gather information, Threads is a promising platform."

"For parents of kids on social media, this could be interesting because it may provide our kids with more than just snippets or headlines on topics unlike on platforms known for its speed (for example, learning about world news or gender identity through a single TikTok video). Hopefully this can be a platform we as parents can also use to learn about developments in parenting and pregnancies and to build a community to enrich the discussion on Filipino parenting."

Nevertheless, it's okay if you don't join the bandwagon and download Threads. If you feel the need to be on a new social media app that resembles Twitter, then go ahead. However, if you believe that adding another social media app will decrease your time for more important matters, then don't.

As for our kids, since it's just day 1 of Threads, like Mommy Rosie and Daddy Joma, let's test the waters first before we allow our children to dip their toes into this new realm of social media.

READ ALSO: Unplugged Parenting: 10 Days Without My Phone And The Surprising Revelations

Smart Parenting is now on Threads, providing informative, relevant, and expert-backed content on parenting and more. You can follow Smart Parenting on Threads here.