Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over Threads: report
New York (AP): Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta over its new, text-based app called Threads, according to a letter obtained by Semafor.
In a Wednesday letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alex Spiro, an attorney representing Twitter, accused Meta of unlawfully using Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property by hiring former Twitter employees to create a "copycat" app.
Since launching Threads Wednesday night, Meta's new app has collected tens of millions of sign ups. The app, which was created by the company's Instagram team, arrives at a time when many are looking for Twitter alternatives to escape Elon Musk's raucous oversight of the platform since acquiring it last year for USD 44 billion.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded to the report of Spiro's letter on Threads Thursday afternoon, writing, "no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee that's just not a thing".
In the letter, which Semafor first reported on Thursday, Spiro said that Twitter "intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights" and noted the company's right to seek civil remedies or injunctive relief. He added that the letter marked a "formal notice" for Meta to preserve documents relevant for a potential dispute between the companies.
The Associated Press reached out to Spiro and Twitter on Thursday for further information. Twitter responded to an email seeking comment with a poop emoji, its standard automated response to reporters.
Musk hasn't directly tweeted about the possibility of legal action, but he has replied to several snarky takes on the Threads launch. The Twitter owner responded to one tweet suggesting that Meta's app was built largely through the use of the copy and paste function, with a laughing emoji.
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino has also not publicly commented on Wednesday's letter, but seemingly appeared to address Threads' launch in a Thursday tweet.
"We're often imitated -- but the Twitter community can never be duplicated," Yaccarino wrote.
Still, some analysts say Meta's new app could be a significant headache for Twitter pointing to the excitement surrounding Threads' launch and impressive download numbers so far.
Success for the app isn't guaranteed, of course. Industry watchers point to Meta's track record of starting standalone apps that were later shut down, for example, and note that Threads is still in its early days so time will tell.
Meta's new app has also raised data privacy concerns. While Threads launched in more than 100 countries Wednesday, it is notably unavailable in the European Union, which has strict data privacy rules.
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Congress candidate questions PM's understanding of mangalsutra significance
Uttara Kannada: Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar, the Congress candidate for the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha Constituency, criticised the Prime Minister's remarks regarding the Mangalsutra during a campaign meeting in Hosur Janata Colony.
Addressing attendees at the Congress campaign meeting in Hosur Janata Colony, Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar expressed her disappointment with the Prime Minister's recent statements. She acknowledged the respect the Prime Minister receives as the Prime Minister but criticized his remarks, citing the legacies of past Prime Ministers such as Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.
Nimbalkar highlighted the contributions of leaders like Rajiv Gandhi, who pioneered advancements in technology by providing mobile phones that are now being used for "WhatsApp university." Additionally, she credited Indira Gandhi for her impactful slogan of Garibi Hatao, which led to transition from "half chaddi" to "full chaddi".
During her speech at the Congress campaign meeting, Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar delved into the Ram Mandir issue in Ayodhya. She recalled that the decision to construct the Ram Mandir was initially made by the Supreme Court during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister. Nimbalkar acknowledged the tensions and riots that ensued following the court's decision. She noted the recent verdict by the Supreme Court, which made way for the construction of the Ram Mandir while also allocating land for Muslims.
She expressed concern over the apparent shift from traditional practices in worship, highlighting the absence of Hanuman alongside Rama in BJP's campaign materials compared to the customary depiction of Rama-Sita-Lakshmana-Hanuman in temples.
Furthermore, she questioned the BJP's reinterpretation of history and religious traditions, advocating for the preservation of ancestral teachings and practices. Nimbalkar also spoke about the importance of respecting cultural heritage and criticised attempts to dictate worship practices.
