{"id":25638,"date":"2023-07-07T03:24:34","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T07:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=25638"},"modified":"2023-07-07T03:24:34","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T07:24:34","slug":"twitter-threatens-legal-action-over-threads-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2023\/07\/07\/twitter-threatens-legal-action-over-threads-app\/","title":{"rendered":"Twitter threatens legal action over Threads app"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\"><b class=\"ssrcss-hmf8ql-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Twitter is considering legal action against Meta over its fast-growing rival app Threads.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Threads, which was launched to millions on Wednesday, is similar to Twitter and has been pitched by Meta bosses as a &#8220;friendly&#8221; alternative.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Twitter&#8217;s Elon Musk said &#8220;competition is fine, cheating is not&#8221; &#8211; but Meta denied claims in a legal letter that ex-Twitter staff helped create Threads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">More than 30 million people have signed up for the new app, according to Meta.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The look and feel of Threads are similar to those of Twitter, BBC News technology reporter James Clayton noted. He said the news feed and the reposting were &#8220;incredibly familiar&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In a move first reported by\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semafor.com\/article\/07\/06\/2023\/twitter-is-threatening-to-sue-meta-over-threads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news outlet Semafor<\/a>, Twitter attorney Alex Spiro sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday accusing Meta of &#8220;systematic, wilful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter&#8217;s trade secrets and other intellectual property&#8221; to create Threads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Specifically, Mr Spiro alleged that Meta had hired dozens of former Twitter employees who &#8220;had and continue to have access to Twitter&#8217;s trade secrets and other highly confidential information&#8221; that ultimately helped Meta develop what he termed the &#8220;copycat&#8221; Threads app.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,&#8221; the letter says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;Twitter reserves all rights, including, but not limited to, the right to seek both civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">BBC News, which has seen a copy of the letter, has contacted both Meta and Twitter for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Mr Musk said that &#8220;competition is fine, cheating is not&#8221; in response to a post on Twitter that referred to the legal letter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">On Threads, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone posted that &#8220;no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee &#8211; that&#8217;s just not a thing&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1o5f7ft-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/business-66127141\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Can Threads make more than Elon Musk\u2019s Twitter?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/technology-66122246\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8216;Almost every influencer will be hopping on Threads&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/technology-66118168\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Threads could cause real problems for Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Both Mr Musk and Mr Zuckerberg have acknowledged the rivalry over Threads, which is linked to Instagram but works as a standalone app.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">As it launched in 100 countries, Mr Zuckerberg broke more than 11 years of silence on Twitter to post a highly popular meme of two nearly identical Spider-Man figures pointing at each other, indicating a stand-off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Shortly after, and as the word &#8220;Threads&#8221; trended globally on his platform, Mr Musk said: &#8220;It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-xza2yt-ComponentWrapper ep2nwvo1\" data-component=\"image-block\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-wpgbih-StyledFigure e34k3c23\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1clb54-Placeholder e16icw910\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ssrcss-evoj7m-Image ee0ct7c0\" src=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/B57C\/production\/_130306464_how_threads_compares_with_rival_twitter_2x640-nc.png 976w\" alt=\"Table showing how Threads and Twitter compare, with Threads allowing posts of 500 characters compared with Twitter's 280, and 5 minute videos compared with 2min 20 secs. Both allow links, photos, and deleting posts but Twitter allows direct messaging, shows trending stories, and uses hashtags which Threads doesn't. Threads has verification but it is one of the services that you have to pay to access on Twitter, along with longer posts and videos and an editing function.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1043.2\" \/><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a tweet on Thursday that while the platform, which has previously reported about 260 million monthly users, is &#8220;often imitated&#8221; it &#8220;can never be duplicated&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Both Meta and Twitter have undertaken significant layoffs this year, with Meta announcing in April that it would cut staff levels by approximately 10,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Twitter lost a large proportion of its 7,500 employees, as high as 80%, in waves of redundancies following Mr Musk&#8217;s takeover last October.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-66129215\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">Twitter is considering legal action against Meta over its fast-growing rival app Threads. Threads, which was launched to millions on Wednesday, is similar to Twitter and has been pitched by Meta bosses as a &#8220;friendly&#8221; <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2023\/07\/07\/twitter-threatens-legal-action-over-threads-app\/\" title=\"Twitter threatens legal action over Threads app\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109,2,3],"tags":[5579,1410,8355,9583,2557],"class_list":{"0":"post-25638","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headline","8":"category-news","9":"category-usa","10":"tag-elon-musk","11":"tag-mark-zuckerberg","12":"tag-meta","13":"tag-threads","14":"tag-twitter","15":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25638"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25641,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25638\/revisions\/25641"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}