Social Media
What Threads Is, and Who Uses It
Threads is Meta's version of Twitter. It came out in 2023 and it's tied to Instagram, so a teen with Instagram is one tap away from it. Fewer teens use it than you'd think from the buzz, and the ones who do usually got there through Instagram.
Why this matters for your kid
Threads pulls in who they're connected to on Instagram, so an account your teen makes on Threads is linked to the people who follow their Instagram, including adults who might not be in their real circle. Teen accounts on Threads start out private, but once that's switched off it's often the first place a teen posts their opinions publicly with their real name attached.
What it's like for your kid
The feed looks like a quieter Twitter, with text posts, replies and reposts. The algorithm pushes whatever gets people reacting, the same as every other Meta app, so dating advice, body image and influencer drama trend there just like everywhere else.
What you might notice
Watch for public posts under their own name that could follow them for years, and back and forth with anonymous accounts pretending to be teens. "Everyone's on Threads now" usually isn't true. What matters is what shows up in their feed, and what they're willing to post where anybody can see it.
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