Want to delete your Threads account without deleting Instagram? Upcoming update to make it possible

Meta's text-based social media platform, Threads, entered the scene in July this year, aiming to give Twitter some stiff competition. The app gained immense popularity, with millions of downloads within just five days of its launch. It seamlessly allowed Instagram users to create a Threads account using their existing Instagram credentials.

However, there was one significant limitation: once you created a Threads account, there was no turning back. Deleting your Threads account meant saying goodbye to your Instagram account as well. This could change in the days to come.

A new change on the horizon

According to recent reports, Meta is set to address this limitation, planning to allow users to delete their Threads accounts without the need to bid farewell to Instagram. This change is expected to roll out by the end of this year, providing users with more control and flexibility.

Meta is planning to roll out a separate account deletion feature for Threads by December.

After launching the text-based social network in July, Meta has been facing criticism for not allowing users to delete their Threads account without deleting their Instagram account.#Meta… pic.twitter.com/uU631llsBB— Akash Pandey (@pennedbyhim) September 26, 2023

Overcoming challenges

Michel Protti, Meta's Chief Privacy Officer for Product, shared insights into why this feature didn't accompany Threads' initial launch. Protti explained that making it possible to delete a Threads account without affecting the user's Instagram account was 'extremely challenging.'

To address this issue, the Meta team has focused on ensuring users can exercise their deletion rights effectively. This involves options like deactivating the account to hide content, setting it to private, or deleting individual threads.

Threads and Twitter: A comparison

Some of Thread’s features resemble Twitter to an extent. The content feed in Meta's app is divided into 'For You' and 'Following' sections. The 'For You' section curates a mix of posts from profiles you follow and recommended accounts.

On the other hand, the 'Following' section displays posts from people you follow in chronological order. This structure aligns Threads with Twitter's timeline approach.

Introducing translations

Threads recently introduced the Translations feature, making multilingual interactions smoother. Posts in a user's feed will be automatically translated into the viewer's preferred language, enhancing accessibility. Users can simply tap the translation button to read posts in their language.

Expanding interaction options

Both Threads and Twitter offer a range of ways for users to interact with posts, including reporting, liking, and commenting. These text-based social media apps have continued to evolve, with Twitter (now known as X) even allowing users to upload long videos.

Meta's Threads is gearing up to enhance user control by enabling the deletion of Threads accounts without impacting Instagram accounts. This development brings flexibility to users and further establishes Threads as a strong contender in the text-based social media space.

With ongoing improvements and a user-friendly approach, Threads continues to be a platform worth watching in the ever-evolving social media landscape.