Twitter Threatens Legal Action Against Threads
Twitter is considering taking legal action against Meta over its rival app, Threads.
Threads, which was recently launched and has attracted over 30 million users, bears similarities to Twitter and has been positioned by Meta as a "friendly" alternative.
Elon Musk, representing Twitter, stated that "competition is acceptable, but cheating is not." However, Meta has denied allegations made in a legal letter claiming that former Twitter employees contributed to the development of Threads.
In a letter sent to Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's attorney Alex Spiro accuses Meta of "systematic, deliberate, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property" in creating Threads.
Spiro specifically alleges that Meta has hired numerous former Twitter staff who had access to Twitter's trade secrets and confidential information, which ultimately aided in the development of the "copycat" Threads app.
The letter states, "Twitter intends to vigorously protect its intellectual property rights and demands that Meta immediately cease using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information." It further adds, "Twitter reserves all rights, including but not limited to seeking both civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice."
Both Meta and Twitter have been contacted for comments by BBC News, which has obtained a copy of the letter.
Threads bears a striking resemblance to Twitter in terms of its look and feel, as noted by technology reporter James Clayton of BBC News. The news feed and reposting features are remarkably familiar.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone posted on Threads that none of the members on the engineering team were former Twitter employees, debunking the claim.
Both Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have acknowledged the competition surrounding Threads, which is connected to Instagram but functions as a standalone app.
Upon its launch in 100 countries, Mark Zuckerberg broke over 11 years of silence on Twitter to share a widely popular meme featuring two nearly identical Spider-Man figures pointing at each other, symbolizing a standoff.
Soon after, as the word "Threads" trended globally on the platform, Elon Musk remarked, "It is far preferable to be criticized by strangers on Twitter than to indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram."
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino tweeted on Thursday that while the platform, which previously reported approximately 260 million monthly users, is often imitated, it can never be duplicated.
Both Meta and Twitter have undergone significant layoffs this year, with Meta announcing plans to reduce staff levels by around 10,000. Twitter experienced substantial employee losses, with reports suggesting up to 80% of its workforce being let go in waves of redundancies following Elon Musk's takeover last October.
Source: BBC News