Twitter Issues Stern Warning of Legal Consequences Against Threads App. Twitter is contemplating taking legal action against Meta due to its rapidly growing competitor app, Threads. Threads, which was recently introduced to millions of users, has been positioned by Meta as a “friendly” alternative to Twitter.
In response, Twitter’s Elon Musk emphasized that competition is acceptable but cheating is not, while Meta refuted allegations that former Twitter employees were involved in the creation of Threads. Meta claims that over 30 million people have already signed up for the new app.
The similarities in the look and functionality of Threads to Twitter have been noted, including the familiar news feed and reposting features. Twitter attorney Alex Spiro sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accusing Meta of unlawfully appropriating Twitter’s trade secrets and intellectual property to develop Threads, citing the hiring of numerous ex-Twitter employees. The letter demands that Meta cease using any Twitter trade secrets and confidential information. Twitter warns of pursuing legal action, including seeking civil remedies and injunctive relief.
Meanwhile, the rivalry between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg over Threads has been acknowledged, with Mr. Zuckerberg breaking his 11-year Twitter silence to post a meme referencing the stand-off between the two platforms. Despite the competition, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino asserts that while Twitter may be imitated, it cannot be replicated. Both Meta and Twitter have experienced significant layoffs this year, with Meta announcing a reduction of approximately 10,000 employees, and Twitter facing significant workforce reductions following Mr. Musk’s takeover.