Threads Users Can Now Delete Accounts Independently

Meta has approved a significant update to the Threads app, granting users the ability to delete their Threads account while retaining their linked Instagram account. The Threads application requires users to link to their Instagram account during the registration procedure. However, at first, this requirement proved uncomfortable as it was not possible to deactivate Threads independently.

In a Threads post, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced this significant move. Threads, which was once hailed as a potential “Twitter-killer,” struggled to maintain its initial soaring growth. In October, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, revealed that the application had experienced a decrease in monthly users to around 100 million, representing a reduction of over 50%, three months after its July release. Threads, originally designed as a direct adversary to Elon Musk’s X (formerly known as Twitter), were devoid of critical attributes found on competing platforms, including direct messaging and search functionality.

An issue of significance was the lack of capability to completely remove a Threads account without also deleting the associated Instagram account. This limitation garnered substantial criticism from users. Users desiring to preserve their linked Instagram profile were confined to the sole choice of deactivating the Threads account, which did not amount to a full deletion.

Threads Users can also change automated sharing functionality now

Mosseri provides a detailed description of the settings menu section titled “Delete or Deactivate Profile,” where the recently implemented function that enables independent deletion can be found. The lack of a deletion system in question had garnered regulatory attention, specifically from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) of the UK. The ICO stated that they had been in communication with Meta since Threads’ inception regarding the significance of permitting users to deactivate their Threads profiles and account information without affecting their Instagram accounts. Meta initially disclosed the impending change in September. The ICO expressed satisfaction that discussions had spurred the desired change, emphasizing that users should not be compelled to sacrifice one service to disassociate from another.

Furthermore, the update relates to the automated sharing functionality, providing Threads users with the option to turn off the automatic sharing of posts to Instagram and Facebook. Although this functionality initially fulfilled Meta’s objective of endorsing Threads to the extensive user community on these platforms, it encountered considerable user dissatisfaction. Meta duly recognized the feedback, as Mosseri noted that users desired more control over their experience on the platform.

Additionally, Meta’s approval of the Threads app update, which gives users more control over automated sharing and the ability to delete accounts on their own, is a major response to user concerns and regulatory factors that could significantly change the platform’s user interface.

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