‘Clone’ or competitor? Users and lawyers compare Twitter and Threads

Meta Threads app logo is placed on broken Twitter app logo in this illustration taken on July 7, 2023. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
Short Url
Updated 09 July 2023
Follow

‘Clone’ or competitor? Users and lawyers compare Twitter and Threads

  • Threads has drawn tens of millions of users since launching Threads as the latest rival to Elon Musk’s social media platform
  • Twitter thas hreatened legal action against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, calling Threads a “copycat”

Just how similar is Instagram’s chatty new app, Threads, to Twitter?

In a cease-and-desist letter earlier this week, Twitter threatened legal action against Instagram parent company Meta over the new text-based app Threads, which it called a “copycat.”
Threads has drawn tens of millions of users since launching as the latest rival to Elon Musk’s social media platform.
Threads creators pushed back on the accusations, and legal experts note that much is still unknown. For now, “it’s sort of a big question mark,” Jacob Noti-Victor, an associate professor at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo Law School who specializes in intellectual property, told The Associated Press.
The people starting to explore Threads, however, are already making their own observations.
“People are calling it a Twitter clone but I think there are some key product differences,” said Alexandra Popken, Twitter’s former head of trust and safety operations.
One difference, she thinks, will likely be the people who use it. At Threads, “you’re essentially taking your audience from Instagram and putting this into a new text-based app, whereas Twitter is a kind of a niche audience for politicians, celebrities and news junkies,” she said.
Yet even though Threads makers have said they aren’t particularly interested in making it a politics forum, it’s likely to attract journalists and politicians, among others, looking for a Twitter alternative.
Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, said Threads isn’t aiming to replace Twitter.
“The goal is to create a public square for communities on Instagram that never really embraced Twitter and for communities on Twitter (and other platforms) that are interested in a less angry place for conversations, but not all of Twitter,” he said.
Politics and hard news will inevitably show up on Threads, he acknowledged, “but we’re not going to do anything to encourage those verticals.”
In a Wednesday letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alex Spiro, an attorney representing Twitter, accused Meta of unlawfully using Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property by hiring former Twitter employees to create a “copycat” app.
In a reply to a tweet about the possibility of legal action against Meta, Musk wrote: “Competition is fine, cheating is not.”
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded in a Threads post Thursday that “no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee.”
From Spiro’s letter, which was first obtained by news outlet Semafor on Thursday, Noti-Victor said it’s hard to tell what the trade secrets referred to might be.
Spiro says ex-Twitter employees “improperly retained” company documents and electronic devices — pointing to ongoing confidentiality obligations. There was no explicit reference, however, to a breach of any binding agreement in the letter, and most noncompete clauses, for example, are prohibited in California.
In addition, despite Threads’ similarities to Twitter, “just the idea of creating a social media platform involving text (is) certainly not something that would be a trade secret,” Noti-Victor added.
He is skeptical of intellectual property violations for similar reasons, noting that companies “can’t patent something that’s obvious” or copyright a general idea for a social media platform. Copyright can protect source code and the text of a website, but Noti-Victor said he doesn’t see that reproduced in Threads.
Experts add that companies in Silicon Valley are constantly making products or services inspired by competitors’ versions.
“The industry has a storied past of borrowing ideas from each other,” said Popken, adding that Threads and other platforms such as Mastodon and Bluesky are “trying to capitalize on what is demand for a suitable, safer alternative to Twitter.”
Meta has a track record of starting standalone apps that mirror competitors, although many later shut down.
Beyond trade secret and intellectual property allegations, Spiro also wrote that Meta is prohibited from “engaging in any crawling or scraping of Twitter’s followers or following data.” He said the letter marked a “formal notice” for Meta to preserve documents relevant for a potential dispute between the companies.
Any letter of this kind should be taken seriously, said Carl Tobias, law professor at the University of Richmond’s School of Law — but he, too, added that much is still unknown. More specific allegations and documents could come forward if litigation is pursued.
Tobias speculated that Twitter’s move could be partly about publicity, as well as a strategic response both legally and business-wise. Musk’s legal team has made similar moves before, such as a May letter to Microsoft objecting to alleged misuse of Twitter data to train artificial intelligence systems.
Among those elevating the clone-or-not question this week was Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, who has championed Bluesky, and joked in a tweet: “We wanted flying cars, instead we got 7 Twitter clones.”
For Popken, who now works at content moderation startup WebPurify, what most stands out about Threads so far is how much fun she’s having using it.
“I see brands like Slim Jim trying to be funny. I see influencers who I follow on Instagram and people who I care about in my life,” she said. “There’s like this period of time where the bad actors haven’t found it yet. It’s like this non-toxic, happy corner of the Internet.”
But “make no mistake,” she added, those content moderation problems that have plagued other platforms “will certainly strike Threads over time.”


Two Palestinian journalists killed in less than 24 hours as Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza

Updated 14 July 2025
Follow

Two Palestinian journalists killed in less than 24 hours as Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza

  • Fadi Khalifa was killed while inspecting the remnants of his house
  • In a separate strike on their tent, Hussam Saleh Al-Adlouni was murdered alongside his wife Suad and their three children

LONDON: Two Palestinian journalists were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on Sunday, in the latest deadly escalation targeting media workers in the Gaza Strip, according to local sources.

Fadi Khalifa was killed along with at least one other person while inspecting the remains of his home in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood of southeastern Gaza City, multiple sources reported.

In a separate strike, photojournalist Hussam Saleh Al-Adlouni was killed alongside his wife Suad and their three children when an Israeli airstrike hit their tent in the Al-Qarara area, north of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

According to WAFA news agency, the family had been sheltering there after being displaced.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the killings, saying they added to Israel’s “abysmal record” of violence against members of the press.

Their deaths bring the number of Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, to 231, according to official figures.

The Committee to Protect Journalists puts the toll at 178: 176 Palestinians and two Israelis.

Medical sources reported that at least 92 civilians were killed across Gaza on Sunday alone, including 52 in central and southern areas of the Strip.


BBC’s Gaza documentary breached accuracy guideline, review finds

Updated 14 July 2025
Follow

BBC’s Gaza documentary breached accuracy guideline, review finds

  • “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone” was pulled after it was discovered that the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official was the narrator of the documentary
  • Review found the program breached a guideline on accuracy that deals with misleading audiences but no other breaches of the BBC’s editorial guidelines, including on impartiality

LONDON: A BBC documentary about children’s lives in Gaza narrated by the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official breached its editorial guidelines on accuracy, an internal review by the British public broadcaster said on Monday.
The investigation, however, found there were no other breaches of the BBC’s editorial guidelines, including on impartiality, and no evidence that outside interests “inappropriately impacted on the program.”
The BBC removed “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone” from its online platform in February, five days after it was broadcast, saying it had “serious flaws.” The documentary was made by independent production company HOYO Films.
A review found the program breached a guideline on accuracy that deals with misleading audiences.
The background on the narrator’s father — a minister in the Hamas-run government in Gaza — was “critical information,” which was not shared with the BBC before broadcast, the review found.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 58,000 people have been killed since the start of the war on Oct. 7 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza.
The BBC’s coverage of the war has been heavily scrutinized throughout the conflict, with both supporters of Israel and its critics saying the broadcaster had failed to strike the right balance.
“Regardless of how the significance or otherwise of the Narrator’s father’s position was judged, the audience should have been informed about this,” said the report by Peter Johnston, BBC Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the report identified a significant failing in relation to accuracy.
“We will now take action on two fronts – fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated,” Davie said in a statement.


Indonesian boy’s ‘aura farming’ dance brings global spotlight to centuries-old tradition

Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Indonesian boy’s ‘aura farming’ dance brings global spotlight to centuries-old tradition

  • Pacu jalur is a boat tradition from Indonesia’s Riau province that can be traced back to the 17th century
  • Dika was named tourism ambassador of his home province after going viral with his dance moves

JAKARTA: An Indonesian boy dancing on the front of a boat has become an Internet sensation in recent weeks, setting a global trend of “aura farming” that has been recreated by famous athletes and thousands of others worldwide.

“Aura farming” is an Internet expression popularized in 2024, largely in reference to anime characters and celebrities. It refers to the act of consistently looking cool to build one’s “aura.”

Dressed in a black traditional costume and wearing sunglasses, 11-year-old Rayyan Arkhan Dikha from Indonesia’s Riau province has been dubbed “the ultimate aura farmer” on social media for performing a series of repetitive movements calmly on the bow of a thin boat, videos of which have amassed millions of views globally.

The Indonesian boy who goes by the name of Dika was participating in a local event known as “pacu jalur,” which roughly translates to “boat race.” A tradition that dates back to the early 17th century, the event is now held every August to commemorate the Indonesian Independence Day.

“Pacu jalur has been one of Indonesia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2015,” Indonesia’s Culture Minister Fadli Zon said in a statement, after hosting Dika in his office in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The water sport tradition originated in Riau’s Kuantan Singingi regency at a time when boats were the main mode of transportation for the communities living along the local river.

“It has always been a part of life for people in (Kuantan Singingi), including to celebrate the most important Islamic holidays and also our independence day,” Fadli said.

During the race, each of the long, canoe-like boats and its large crew has an “anak coki,” a dancer who moves with rhythmic hand movements and body waves to provide inspiration for the rowers.

While every anak coki brings their own charm to the race, Dika — who has participated in the races since he was 9 — has since become the face of the pacu jalur tradition.

Though the original clip featuring Dika was posted to TikTok in January by a user named Lensa Rams and the event itself was held last August, the boy shot to global popularity over the past few weeks, as various creators on Instagram and TikTok have tried their own hand at Dika’s dance.

The list includes soccer team Paris Saint-Germain and Travis Kelce, American football star and boyfriend of pop singer Taylor Swift. When the US men’s national soccer team won against Guatemala last week, American soccer player Diego Luna copied Dika’s moves to celebrate a goal.

The massive impact of the video garnered him special attention from the government in Riau, where the governor on Tuesday named Dika as a tourism ambassador for the province and awarded him a scholarship for 20 million rupiah (about $1,200) for his education.

“Today, almost everyone opened their eyes to the vibrant and thriving culture of Riau, especially pacu jalur. This is why I wanted to show my appreciation to Dika,” Governor Abdul Wahid said.

In a statement, the local government confirmed that Dika will participate in the races next month.

Speaking to reporters in Jakarta following his meeting with the culture minister, Dika said: “I’m happy that I’ve gone viral globally.”


Israeli journalist arrested over post praising death of 5 IDF soldiers in Gaza

Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Israeli journalist arrested over post praising death of 5 IDF soldiers in Gaza

  • Israel Frey, who frequently posts his criticism of the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza, is being held in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court
  • The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Frey’s arrest

LONDON: An Israeli court on Thursday extended the detention of journalist Israel Frey over a post on X that hailed “the world is a better place” following the death of five soldiers in an explosion in Gaza.

Frey, who frequently posts his criticism of the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza, is being held in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court over charges of inciting and supporting terrorism.

“The world is better this morning without five young people who participated in one of the cruelest crimes against humanity,” the Israeli journalist said, referring to five Israeli soldiers who were killed by an explosive device during their fight with the militant group Hamas in northern Gaza earlier this week.

He added: “Sadly, for the boy in Gaza now being operated on without anesthesia, the girl starving to death and the family huddling in a tent under bombardment — this is not enough.

“This is a call to every Israeli mother: Do not be the next to receive your son in a coffin as a war criminal. Refuse.”

Frey was previously questioned over his critical posts in the past. In March, he was interrogated on suspicion of inciting terrorism over several pro-Palestinian posts.

“A Palestinian who hurts an IDF soldier or a settler in the apartheid territories is not a terrorist. And it’s not a terror attack. He’s a hero fighting against an occupier for justice, liberation and freedom,” he once wrote.

In December 2022, he was questioned over posts in which he said that “targeting security forces is not terrorism” and called a Palestinian who was planning an attack a “hero.”

Frey fled into hiding on Oct. 16, 2023, about a week into the Gaza war, after his home was attacked by a far-right Israeli mob when he expressed solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

On Thursday, he told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that he will not be “bowing his head” to his persecution, adding that “we have already caused enough suffering, blood and tears. Liberate Gaza. Enough.”

According to Israeli media reports, Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan ruled that Frey’s remarks “offend public sensibilities and are deeply disturbing,” asking, “How can the deaths of young soldiers, who fell in the line of duty defending their homeland, possibly be considered good?”

She added that extending Frey’s detention was necessary due to “investigative actions susceptible to obstruction,” as she denied bail to Frey.

In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Frey’s arrest and said his detention “underscores authorities’ growing intolerance of freedom of expression since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.”

CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah called for Frey’s immediate release along with “all detained Palestinian journalists” and for an end to the “ongoing crackdown on the press and dissenting voices.”


Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account: police

Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account: police

  • TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels
  • Pakistani women have found both audience and income on the app, which is rare in the country

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan police on Friday said a father shot dead his daughter after she refused to delete her account on popular video-sharing app TikTok.

In the Muslim-majority country, women can be subjected to violence by family members for not following strict rules on how to behave in public, including in online spaces.

“The girl’s father had asked her to delete her TikTok account. On refusal, he killed her,” a police spokesperson said.

According to a police report shared with AFP, investigators said the father killed his 16-year-old daughter on Tuesday “for honor.” He was subsequently arrested.

The victim’s family initially tried to “portray the murder as a suicide” according to police in the city of Rawalpindi, where the attack happened, next to the capital Islamabad.

Last month, a 17-year-old girl and TikTok influencer with hundreds of thousands of online followers was killed at home by a man whose advances she had refused.

Sana Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media accounts including TikTok, where she shared videos of her favorite cafes, skincare products, and traditional outfits.

TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels.

Women have found both audience and income on the app, which is rare in a country where fewer than a quarter of the women participate in the formal economy.

However, only 30 percent of women in Pakistan own a smartphone compared to twice as many men (58 percent), the largest gap in the world, according to the Mobile Gender Gap Report of 2025.

Pakistani telecommunications authorities have repeatedly blocked or threatened to block the app over what it calls “immoral behavior,” amid backlash against LGBTQ and sexual content.

In southwestern Balochistan, where tribal law governs many rural areas, a man confessed to orchestrating the murder of his 14-year-old daughter earlier this year over TikTok videos that he said compromised her “honor.”