Threads users will be able to delete their accounts without losing Instagram by December

Meta, the tech giant behind the social media platform, Threads, has announced December as the launch date for the much-awaited account deletion feature. Unlike Facebook and X, Threads users can not directly delete their accounts from the platform. Doing so meant that they risked deleting their Instagram account in the process. 

Launched in July, the platform registered an impressive number of users in a short period, surpassing Open AI’s ChatGPT as the fastest-growing platform in the same month of release. It recorded 100 million sign-ups in five days, a milestone effort. 

However, the site has received its fair share of backlash regarding its offerings. Among the issues raised, the inability to delete one’s account without deleting their Instagram profile ranked high. Fortunately, Meta’s Chief Privacy Officer for product, Michel Protti confirmed that the company was developing a deletion feature. 

It is worth mentioning that while Threads and Instagram are different platforms, both are tied together. Protti revealed “Technically, it was extremely challenging to allow deletion of a separate Threads account without also deleting your overall Instagram account out of the gate.”  

Although users lack account deletion powers, Protti stated that they can explore alternatives like account deactivation, setting the account to private, or taking down individual threads (or posts). 

Read also: Instagram Threads finally gets web version, here’s how to use it on your PC web browser

The Threads journey so far 

Despite venturing into a space dominated by X along with new entrants like Bluesky, Threads’ launch left an unforgettable impression on the social media space. Aside from beating a hot product like ChatGPT to gain more registrations in a short period, it soon suffered a major dip in users. The site’s pool of active users dropped to 23.6 million two months ago, representing a nearly 50% fall.

This is mainly because the product launched with a couple of vital features missing. Meta soon responded to this development by revealing plans to launch a desktop variant. The web version is now live. 

One month ago, Meta launched a suite of new features like the ability to post on Instagram DMs, the ability to edit the custom alt-text for videos and photos, and a profile mention feature. Threads recently revealed intentions to roll out the search feature, a major functionality of social media platforms. 

With an actual account deletion feature set to be available by December, Threads once again affirms its intentions to become a major player. It already faces serious competition from X which has more users and a highly experimental owner. How Meta’s new social media outlet fares before its first anniversary will be one to watch.