Tama Leaver

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By Tom SingletonTechnology reporter, BBC News

Meta is releasing a web version of Threads, as it attempts to revive the Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

The Rival<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> to X, formerly known as Twitter, enjoyed when it launched In July<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

However, users then abandoned it, partly due to its limited functionality.

Meta says The Web<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> version is part of a drive to deliver new features but experts warn more needs to be done to rebuild customer interest.

In a post on The Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> <Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - accompanied by what He Said<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> was a picture of him building Threads for The Web<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> said it would be " rolling out over The Next<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> few days. "

Users will be able to post a thread, view their feed and interact with Other People<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> 's threads.

However Other Aspects<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> of the mobile app will not be available on The Web<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> initially.

For example, users won't be able to edit their profile or send a thread to the direct messenger feature of its sister Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> , Instagram.

Meta says it will add more functionality in The Coming<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> weeks as it seeks to make The Web<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> and mobile experience of the app the same.

Threads raced to More Than<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> 100 million users in the week following its launch but by The End<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> of July that figure had More Than<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> halved.

The tech giant, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, will hope this announcement will help reverse that trend.

" Meta made The Choice<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> to launch Threads in a very basic form, " said Rebecca McGrath, associate director for media and technology at Mintel.

" This has frustrated users who checked out The Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> <Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> following its much-hyped launch, and were expecting it to be a ready-to-go alternative to Twitter, " she added.

" Offering a web version is a very important step. However, it still has a way to go. "

The Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> <Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> still does not have a search Function<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - Something<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> users have complained about and experts say it needs if it is to really take on Elon Musk<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> 's X.

" Meta are going to have to work to Roll Out<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> a vastly improved search functionality To Let<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> users find topic-based communities to really draw back The Crowd<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> who are looking to replace Twitter, " Tama Leaver<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> , professor of internet studies at Curtin University<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> in Australia, told The Bbc<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

" On that front, Meta 's reluctance to implement hashtags, especially as they're already on Instagram, seems an odd choice when really that's the single feature that's most synonymous with X and the Function<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> that would most likely convince users to come back and give Threads a second look. "

Prof Leaver also said Threads' attempts to dethrone X might be aided by the controversies that continue to dog The Platform<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> <Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> previously known as Twitter.

On Monday it was criticised for. Mr Musk's plans to have also drawn criticism, with some saying it will make it harder to stop abusive messages.

Rebecca McGrath from Mintel agrees, saying the " continued controversial moves" at X would " keep up the desire" for an alternative.

" This means people will be ready to engage with Threads Once Again<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> when it has a more advanced version, " she told The Bbc<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

" Time, though, is still of The Essence<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> for Threads. "

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Source of news: bbc.com