A New Way to Connect?
It is nothing new that Instagram has been trying to outdo Snapchat for the past few years. However, every time Instagram tries to catch up, Snapchat introduces something new and better. This time Instagram is taking connection to a new level that the app itself does not do. I read an article on socialmediatoday.com (link will be attached if you want to check it out) about a new app that Instagram is planning to launch soon. Recently Instagram closed its messaging app "Direct" and has begun working on a new version that is supposedly going to focus on connecting close groups.
First off, has anyone else heard of Direct before now? I certainly haven't and I am a part of Gen Z, which says a lot because our generation is super social media oriented. Also, this new app, going by "Threads", is supposedly going to update when a user is moving, at what speed, and even more, on top of being a simple messaging app. Isn't that a little, I don't know, invasive? Is this Instagram's way of introducing an app that has the same functions as the Snapchat map does? In a way yes, but Snapchat allows you to remain hidden on the maps, if a user would not want their location to be known. Will that be something you can opt out of in Threads?
This is something that concerns me personally. I would never want to download an app if I knew that my location was going to be tracked and shared with my friends and family at any time. I certainly don't need everyone knowing where I am at all points of the day. In some ways this seems like the app an overbearing mother would get so her and her child can "stay connected" while they're away at school, but in reality she just wants to know where they are and what they're doing.
Isn't Instagram tired of chasing Snapchat yet? I've noticed a trend in social media; every platform wants to jump on the same train as Snapchat. Why? because Snapchat continues to grow and gain more users every day. Instagram and Facebook both developed story features on their platforms to try and rival against Snapchat. This of course is no surprise considering that Facebook owns Instagram, it makes sense they would develop similar features. However, it doesn't seem to work. People are still more likely to post to their Snap story more than an Insta story or Facebook story. People are also more likely to communicate through Snapchat to one another than Facebook or Instagram. Instead of copying Snapchat and trying to beat them to the punch, other platforms should be coming out with different features that will intrigue different audiences.
In this battle of the social medias, Twitter stays winning for me. Any thoughts on this weird new app?
Check out the story here.
First off, has anyone else heard of Direct before now? I certainly haven't and I am a part of Gen Z, which says a lot because our generation is super social media oriented. Also, this new app, going by "Threads", is supposedly going to update when a user is moving, at what speed, and even more, on top of being a simple messaging app. Isn't that a little, I don't know, invasive? Is this Instagram's way of introducing an app that has the same functions as the Snapchat map does? In a way yes, but Snapchat allows you to remain hidden on the maps, if a user would not want their location to be known. Will that be something you can opt out of in Threads?
This is something that concerns me personally. I would never want to download an app if I knew that my location was going to be tracked and shared with my friends and family at any time. I certainly don't need everyone knowing where I am at all points of the day. In some ways this seems like the app an overbearing mother would get so her and her child can "stay connected" while they're away at school, but in reality she just wants to know where they are and what they're doing.
Isn't Instagram tired of chasing Snapchat yet? I've noticed a trend in social media; every platform wants to jump on the same train as Snapchat. Why? because Snapchat continues to grow and gain more users every day. Instagram and Facebook both developed story features on their platforms to try and rival against Snapchat. This of course is no surprise considering that Facebook owns Instagram, it makes sense they would develop similar features. However, it doesn't seem to work. People are still more likely to post to their Snap story more than an Insta story or Facebook story. People are also more likely to communicate through Snapchat to one another than Facebook or Instagram. Instead of copying Snapchat and trying to beat them to the punch, other platforms should be coming out with different features that will intrigue different audiences.
In this battle of the social medias, Twitter stays winning for me. Any thoughts on this weird new app?
Check out the story here.
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