My partner just created her #Threads account and the account that showed up on top as suggestion to follow was mine. However, I don't have a Threads account.
Basically, anyone who has an Instagram account, #Meta is automatically creating a shadow account for them and also allowing users to follow those shadow accounts. My partner had tonnes of follow requests as soon as she made the account.
This is stupid. If you “follow” someone who is on Instagram but isn’t on Threads, it automatically follows them when/if they sign up for Threads. It even tells you this on the page.
How does it know you exist? Because it suggests you follow everyone you are already following on Instagram. It is using your Instagram account, there is no standalone Threads account. This isn’t rocket science.
When they say the numbers, they are talking about the number of Instagram users that have also signed up for Threads. For a while it when put a badge on your Instagram profile with what sign up number you were.
It’s not stupid, you shouldn’t be able to discover users in one service from another unless those user have explicitly opted in. It’s not a technical issue, it’s a principals issue.
In this case, you create a Threads account and you should be able to discover everyone else who has also made a Threads account (cos that’s the point), but you shouldn’t be able to see Instagram only users unless they have explicitly said that’s ok.
This is probably all ‘explained’ in the T&C’s, buts that’s getting into a whole other thing
There is nothing to see except for account names you are already following, in a specific onboarding screen that tells you that it is doing that. You cannot discover people who haven’t created a Threads profile. This is like being upset that your Facebook friends show up in Facebook Messenger, and far less intrusive than say, LinkedIn invites.
Actually it’s more like being upset that Facebook friends show up in WhatsApp.
The user in the link is upset because their IG profile is now visible in a different service and they did not explicitly consent to this.
And of course there is such a thing as a Threads account, you even refer to it in your second paragraph. Just because they share a common IDP doesn’t mean they aren’t a distinct service. It’s effectively single sign on without the appropriate privacy protections.
It’s cool that you’re into the whole thing, but other people aren’t and they have a right to be pissed off. GDPR and the like weren’t created for no reason.
No, it’s like being upset that your Facebook friends show up in Facebook Messenger.
WhatsApp is a standalone and separate product. “Threads, an Instagram app” is not.
Their IG profile is not visible in threads. Their username is visible to people who already follow them.
It’s not a matter of being into the whole thing, it’s a matter of people with an axe to grind being intentionally misleading about what is actually happening, and others being ignorant because they won’t bother to double check (which is reasonable, but they could at least admit their ignorance). Accurate statements are much more powerful.
Please, explain how GDPR applies. Try to be specific.
Okay, clearly you’re just here to to be contrary or whatever. Maybe you don’t like that people have different opinions than you. Maybe you’re a Zuck fanboy and can’t hack being on the wrong side of the fence. Maybe you’re part of some FaceBook/Meta conspiracy to brigade.
If you’re so smart and confident that you’re correct, why don’t you show me the bit where GDPR doesn’t apply? Burden of proof on the accuser and all that.
Here is a link to a search, where the first page of results is showing that when Facebook bought WhatsApp this exact same issue popped up - what was once two distinct services suddenly started sharing data, despite user dissent. We’ve seen this before, and people are pissed off just like before.
I hope you step on some Lego in a dark room. You could use that to post to your Threads account! 🤙
You made a claim, not I. “Prove a negative!” is a silly rebuttal.
Two distinct services were integrated? This sounds like a different situation then. Had Facebook originally created WhatsApp instead of a purchase, it is extremely likely it would function more like Threads/Messenger.
I use mastodon, I’m just not religious and try to avoid hysteria.
This is stupid. If you “follow” someone who is on Instagram but isn’t on Threads, it automatically follows them when/if they sign up for Threads. It even tells you this on the page.
How does it know you exist? Because it suggests you follow everyone you are already following on Instagram. It is using your Instagram account, there is no standalone Threads account. This isn’t rocket science.
When they say the numbers, they are talking about the number of Instagram users that have also signed up for Threads. For a while it when put a badge on your Instagram profile with what sign up number you were.
It’s not stupid, you shouldn’t be able to discover users in one service from another unless those user have explicitly opted in. It’s not a technical issue, it’s a principals issue.
In this case, you create a Threads account and you should be able to discover everyone else who has also made a Threads account (cos that’s the point), but you shouldn’t be able to see Instagram only users unless they have explicitly said that’s ok.
This is probably all ‘explained’ in the T&C’s, buts that’s getting into a whole other thing
There is no such thing as a Threads account.
There is nothing to see except for account names you are already following, in a specific onboarding screen that tells you that it is doing that. You cannot discover people who haven’t created a Threads profile. This is like being upset that your Facebook friends show up in Facebook Messenger, and far less intrusive than say, LinkedIn invites.
Actually it’s more like being upset that Facebook friends show up in WhatsApp.
The user in the link is upset because their IG profile is now visible in a different service and they did not explicitly consent to this.
And of course there is such a thing as a Threads account, you even refer to it in your second paragraph. Just because they share a common IDP doesn’t mean they aren’t a distinct service. It’s effectively single sign on without the appropriate privacy protections.
It’s cool that you’re into the whole thing, but other people aren’t and they have a right to be pissed off. GDPR and the like weren’t created for no reason.
No, it’s like being upset that your Facebook friends show up in Facebook Messenger.
WhatsApp is a standalone and separate product. “Threads, an Instagram app” is not.
Their IG profile is not visible in threads. Their username is visible to people who already follow them.
It’s not a matter of being into the whole thing, it’s a matter of people with an axe to grind being intentionally misleading about what is actually happening, and others being ignorant because they won’t bother to double check (which is reasonable, but they could at least admit their ignorance). Accurate statements are much more powerful.
Please, explain how GDPR applies. Try to be specific.
Okay, clearly you’re just here to to be contrary or whatever. Maybe you don’t like that people have different opinions than you. Maybe you’re a Zuck fanboy and can’t hack being on the wrong side of the fence. Maybe you’re part of some FaceBook/Meta conspiracy to brigade.
If you’re so smart and confident that you’re correct, why don’t you show me the bit where GDPR doesn’t apply? Burden of proof on the accuser and all that.
Here is a link to a search, where the first page of results is showing that when Facebook bought WhatsApp this exact same issue popped up - what was once two distinct services suddenly started sharing data, despite user dissent. We’ve seen this before, and people are pissed off just like before.
I hope you step on some Lego in a dark room. You could use that to post to your Threads account! 🤙
You are being very aggressive for an opinion based argument.
I’m sorry this has gotten you emotional.
You made a claim, not I. “Prove a negative!” is a silly rebuttal.
Two distinct services were integrated? This sounds like a different situation then. Had Facebook originally created WhatsApp instead of a purchase, it is extremely likely it would function more like Threads/Messenger.
I use mastodon, I’m just not religious and try to avoid hysteria.