Data tracking websites said on Monday that the Instagram-owned Threads app, which was introduced as a competitor to Twitter, had surpassed 100 million users in less than five days, breaking the previous record of ChatGPT, an AI tool, for the fastest-growing consumer app.
While video-sharing app TikTok took nine months and ChatGPT two months to reach 100 million users, Instagram itself took two and a half years to reach that milestone following its 2010 launch.
Late on Wednesday, Threads became online in 100 countries’ Apple and Android app stores, but it isn’t available in Europe because parent company Meta isn’t sure how to deal with the European Union’s data protection laws.
Thought to have 200 million regular users, Twitter has experienced numerous technological issues ever since Elon Musk acquired the platform last year and fired hundreds of employees.
By charging for previously free services and re-allowing right-wing accounts on the platform, Musk—who is also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX—has further alienated many users.
A number of competitors have developed, but the most are specialised platforms that lack the ability to expand to the size required to unseat Twitter.
Because Instagram, which has more than a billion regular users, is linked to Threads, it is easier to use.
At 7:00 GMT on Monday, the app had surpassed 100 million users, according to online data provider Quiver Quantitative.
Other sources estimated the mark had already been reached using a tally of the “badges” Instagram users who have downloaded Threads have gotten.
Musk has threatened legal action against Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, alleging that it has violated its intellectual property rights and stolen trade secrets.
The head of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, and Musk are engaged in a feud, with the two recently challenging one another to a fight.
