Mark Zuckerberg promised that he would make Threads a safe app for users.
However, the Molly Rose Foundation-a charity launched by the family of a suicide victim-said that the billionaire's pledge is absurd.
Mark Zuckerberg's Promise to Make Threads a Safe App Criticized
In this photo illustration, the Threads logo is displayed on a cell phone on July 05, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. Instagram parent company Meta is set to release Threads on July 6, a potential rival to Twitter, the fledgling social media app run by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
According to The Guardian's latest report, Molly Russell was a 14-year-old girl who died in 2017 after viewing harmful posts on Instagram and other social media apps.
Her passing broke the hearts of her family. Because of this, the Russell fam decided to launch the Molly Rose Foundation to help prevent more suicides.
Since Threads is another app developed by Meta, the Molly Rose Foundation shared its concern that this platform will be like Instagram.
"Instagram's track record at protecting users from harm is woeful, with children exposed to dangerous content," said the charity foundation's spokesperson.
The Molly Rose Foundation official said that young Instagram users are at risk because of Meta's inconsistent content moderation and a "cavalier" approach to the app's design choices.
Because of this, the charity believes that Zuckerberg's pledge to prioritize kindness on Threads is "absurd."
Read Also: Threads Quickly Gains Popularity! Twitter Competitor Exceeds 10 Million Signups in Hours
Will Threads App Be Different From Other Apps?
This photo illustration created in Washington, DC, on July 5, 2023, shows Threads, an Instagram app, on the App Store, in front of the logos of Instagram and Threads. Facebook owner Meta's new Threads app, meant to compete with Twitter, was available for pre-order on mobile app stores on iPhone and Android operating systems on July 5, 2023. Listed as "Threads, an Instagram app," the new program should be available in the coming days.
Recently, Meta's CEO said his goal is to expand Threads while maintaining the app's friendly approach.
He added that making the new app a safe social media platform will be the key to its success.
"That's one reason why Twitter never succeeded as much as I think it should have, and we want to do it differently," added the billionaire.
Zuckerberg further stated that his team would make drastic efforts to make Threads a friendly, safe, and kindness-focus app.
As of writing, it is still hard to conclude that Threads will not be like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms plagued with harmful content.
But, since Threads is already garnering millions of signups a few days after its launch, Zuckerberg needs to ensure that they will make the new app a safer place for online users.
CNBC reported that Threads attracted over 70 million new users on Friday, July 7, as confirmed by the Meta CEO.
If you want to learn more about the increasing popularity of Threads, you can click this link.
Related Article: New Threads Delete Feature to Arrive, Allowing Users to Retain Instagram Accounts
