No.

Is that it?
Pretty much. If you have done even basic thinking about the issue, that ought to be the answer.

Can you explain this in graphical form?
Sort of – there’s a flow diagram here in the post. You can find it on Mastodon, Bluesky and LinkedIn as well.

Why are you writing this now?
Threads is launching in the EU at midday CET on 14 December 2023, according to the countdown on the Threads website if you access it from an EU country.

Why did it not launch in the EU yet?
Because the service probably didn’t comply with EU law.

Does it comply with EU law now?
We don’t know. But Threads is run by Meta. They’ve got bad form.

Aren’t they the firm that…
Yes, that runs Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger as well.

And the CEO is Mark Zuckerberg?
Yep. The guy that’s only a fraction better than Musk. Or well, at least comes across as a little less of a jerk.

But Twitter/X is going down the drain, and isn’t Threads an alternative?
Yes, but did you ever hear The Who’s song Don’t Get Fooled Again? You probably liked Facebook in the early days, and then it turned into an advert-filled hell. Then you probably liked Instagram in the early days and then it turned into an advert-filled hell. Then you… well, you get the idea.

But I want an alternative to Twitter/X!
Sure. Try Mastodon or Bluesky.

But isn’t Mastodon über nerdy?
Maybe, but it’s open source and ethical. And no one owns it. No evil CEO. Think of it like the organic food of social media. You can join it here, and it is free. And if you use an app to access it – like Ivory on MacOS or iOS, or Tusky on Android, the experience is nicer than Twitter ever was. And Meta claimed Threads would one day connect with the fediverse of which Mastodon is a part, but it has all gone quiet on that front.

And doesn’t Bluesky need an invite code?
Yes, and I will happily pass along the codes I have. Contact me if you want one. And while Bluesky is not decentralised enough yet, how the network intends to develop looks good, and the invite code system is keeping the development of the network in check – it’s no bad thing.

But there will be a critical mass on Threads!
You’re creating a self fulfilling prophesy. Send friends this blog post, and get them to make a different choice. Do you really want Mark Zuckerberg’s company running all the social media you use? No, me neither.

Is Threads any good?
“Threads feels like when a local restaurant you enjoy opens a location in an airport“, according to this amusing post by Jason O. Gilbert. But I can’t confirm that, as I have not joined, and nor do I have any intention of doing so.