Last Updated: January 21, 2024, 14:02 IST
Menlo Park, California, USA
Meta got major backlash for not having an option of deleting the Threads account without deleting Instagram. (Image: News18)
Meta rolled out an updated feature that allowed users to delete their Threads account while retaining their Instagram account back in November 2023.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, directly competed with X (formerly Twitter) last year by launching Threads on July 5. Threads is a text-focused social media platform that closely resembles X. Within just five days, Threads reached 100 million users. In a pre-launch blog post, Meta described Threads as follows: ‘Threads is a new app, built by the Instagram team, for sharing text updates and participating in public conversations. You log in using your Instagram account, and posts can be up to 500 characters long, including links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.’
However, shortly after its launch, the excitement around Threads significantly diminished. Many people also criticized Meta for introducing a feature that automatically deleted one’s Instagram account when deleting their Threads account. This concern arose after many individuals created their ID on Threads using their Instagram profile.
A notice on Instagram’s Help Centre cautioned users: ‘Deleting your Threads profile won’t delete your Instagram account. However, deleting your Instagram account will also delete your Threads profile because it’s managed by your Instagram account.’
Five months after its launch, Adam Mosser, the head of Instagram, shared two important updates on his Threads account. He mentioned that, based on feedback, they would introduce an update allowing users to delete their Threads account while retaining their Instagram account. He added, ‘Secondly, we recently introduced a feature that makes it easy for people to see Threads posts directly on Facebook and Instagram, helping expand your audience and grow your reach.’
How to deactivate or delete your Threads account:
1. Open the Threads app and click on the profile icon at the bottom right.
2. Tap on the two stacked lines at the top right corner to go to Settings.
3. Click on ‘Account’ from the list, and you will find the ‘Delete or Deactivate profile’ option. Choosing ‘Deactivate’ will archive all your posts, and you can reactivate your account later. Opting for ‘Delete’ will delete your account without affecting the linked Instagram account.
4. Select the ‘Delete’ option, and your Threads account will be deleted. You can cancel your deletion request within 30 days.