Twitter rival: Threads won’t let you delete app without also deleting Instagram

After much anticipation, Meta’s Threads finally launched on Thursday (July 6) offering yet another Twitter alternative to those wanting to get off Elon Musk’s series of controversial decisions that make the most popular microblogging platform lose its appeal.

However, signing up only to get a feel for the app is more difficult than uninstalling it from your device if you decide it’s not for you. For those who did not read the fine print, it looks like once you create a Threads profile, it will be permanent unless you also delete your Instagram account.

Threads’ supplemental privacy policy reads: “You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.”

Deactivating your Threads profile means other users won’t be able to see it, but all your content will remain on the Threads servers. However, Meta will delete Threads Content if you delete individual Threads content or your Instagram account.

The policy says: “When you request to delete your Instagram account, the deletion process will automatically begin no more than 30 days after your request. It may take up to 90 days to delete content after the deletion process has begun.”

Meta also won’t allow you to change your Threads handle without simultaneously updating your Instagram handle. That may work if all of your social media profiles had the same tone or personality. But it’s a pain if you want to use Threads for work and Instagram for your personal life.

Despite recording over 10 million sign-ups in seven hours since its launch, many have flocked, unsurprisingly, to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Meta’s insistence on tying Threads to Instagram.

One wrote: “I deactivated my Threads account already but it turns out you can’t delete your Threads account *without also deleting your Instagram account* so maybe don’t sign up!”

Another said: “Threads is diluting the boundary between the real world and the shadow world. I am afraid - the instagram self (charming, chill, appropriately normal) should never bleed into the twitter self (burdened by the gift of prophecy).