Threads Users ‘Trapped’ As They Realize You Can’t Delete The App Without Deleting Instagram Too

Users of Meta’s newly launched Threads app—a Twitter-like platform for sharing your thoughts with the world—are unhappy as they learn that you can’t delete Zuckerberg’s newest app without deleting good old Instagram. After launching Threads on July 6th, ‘Zuck’ turned to the app himself to reveal that there have been 10 million sign ups in the first seven hours alone.

However, not all people were eager to stay on the app after giving it a go; and they seemingly felt stuck after learning what happens if they decide to get off it. Explaining the rules of the game, the Threads Supplemental Privacy Policy reads in part: “Your Threads profile is part of your Instagram account, and may be deleted at any time by deleting your Instagram account.” Such a policy caused quite a buzz online, with some people turning to Twitter to vent about it.

The Insider pointed out that Meta’s newest app requires its users to have an existing Instagram account before signing up, and there’s an option to import information from the latter. The apps are apparently so connected, you can not delete one without the other. However, as Help Centre suggests, you can temporarily deactivate your Threads account—meaning that your posts will not be visible to other users until you reactivate it—or delete individual posts.

Threads users didn’t seem happy about such a policy, even though some joked around saying that that’s what you get for not reading the terms and conditions. Considering that there are over 1.6 billion users on Instagram, it’s safe to assume that not all of them are willing to let go of their Instagram accounts because they didn't enjoy Threads as much.

Mark Zuckerberg launched the first version of the Threads app on July 5, 2023. Meta explained that the user logs in to it using their Instagram account and can then share posts up to 500 characters, which can include links, photos, and videos (up to five minutes long). In the company’s own words, “We’re working to soon make Threads compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet.”

Reuters reported that in a letter sent to Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's lawyer Alex Spiro accused Zuckerberg’s company of hiring Twitter’s former employees, who, as the letter reads, "had and continue to have access to Twitter's trade secrets and other highly confidential information.”

“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,” Spiro stated.

Variety expanded more on the letter, pointing out that Twitter is alleging Meta of hiring “dozens” of such employees, and suggesting that Zuckerberg’s company has deliberately assigned them to develop the “copycat” Threads app.

A spokesperson for Meta, Andy Stone, answered such allegations, saying “No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee — that’s just not a thing,” on his own Threads account.