Meta Platforms Inc. today launched Threads, a microblogging and messaging app linked to Instagram that’s set to take on the increasingly troubled Elon Musk-owned Twitter Inc.

Threads is being pitched as “Instagram’s text-based conversation app.” The Google Play listing claims that the app “is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow.”

“Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things,” the listing for Threads adds, “or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.”

At first glance, it’s a Twitter clone, although with some notable differences. On Threads, text-based posts are limited to 500 characters and users can share photos and videos are limited to five minutes.

Indeed, on Thursday, Twitter threatened legal action, as its lawyer Alex Spiro charged in a letter to Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg that his company is engaging in “systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property” after hiring dozens of former Twitter employees, of whom there are many following rounds of layoffs there. Meta told Semafor that no former Twitter employee is on the Threads team.

In very early testing, Threads appears to lack an extensive web interface: User pages can be linked to, but it doesn’t appear as yet to be fully functional through the web. The Threads app, however, is fully featured. It has the ability to like or “heart” a thread, the app’s version of a tweet, comment, re-thread — its version of a retweet — and share.

Since the service is linked to Instagram, the setup is simple for those with existing Instagram accounts, with user names and profiles imported. Verified Instagram users also maintain their verification on Threads.

When Threads was reported earlier this week, it was noted that Meta was actively recruiting celebrities such as Oprah and online influencers to onboard as early app users. Whether that has happened is unclear, but remarkably, even within its first hour of going live, major media brands are already posting, such as Variety (pictured adjacent).

Naturally, one of the first users of Threads is Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, who wrote, “The vision for Threads is to create an open and friendly public space for conversation. We hope to take what Instagram does best and create a new experience around text, ideas and discussing what’s on your mind.”

Forty-five minutes after the launch of Threads at 7 p.m. EDT, Zuck’s Thread — his username is Zuck on Threads — already had 1,600 likes and 236 replies. His first thread, stating simply, “Let’s do this. Welcome to Threads,” already had 6,700 likes and counting. Those are arguably remarkable figures for a brand-new product less than an hour old.

However, an hour does not make a success story and Meta has a dubious track record of launching new products. The list of failed services launched by Meta includes TikTok competitor Lasso, its cryptocurrency service Libra (later Diem), Flipboard competitor Facebook Paper, Snapchat Inc. rival Facebook Slingshot and question-and-answer service Friend.ly.

The numbers do indicate one thing, however: People are looking for a Twitter-like service that is more reliable and less bipolar than Twitter. Zuckerberg may be far from a loved tech CEO, but he’s also not Elon Musk.

Images: Threads/Duncan Riley