Post by : Badri Ariffin

Meta’s Threads has reached a notable landmark, surpassing Elon Musk’s X in daily mobile user engagement, based on fresh insights from Similarweb.

A report from TechCrunch released on Sunday highlights that, as of January 7, 2026, Threads achieved 141.5 million daily active users across Android and iOS platforms. In contrast, X reported approximately 125 million daily users for its mobile apps during the same timeframe.

The scenario is significantly different when looking at web usage. Information from TechCrunch shows that X continues to lead in browser traffic, garnering around 145.4 million daily visits as of January 13, compared to Threads' mere 8.5 million daily visits across its domains.

TechCrunch describes this shift as part of a steady and gradual trend rather than an immediate reaction to recent controversies tied to X. The report emphasizes that Threads’ growth in mobile users has been primarily fueled by Meta’s ability to redirect users from its more extensive platforms, notably Instagram and Facebook, alongside regular feature enhancements that boost daily engagement.

Threads has evolved from a straightforward text feed by introducing innovative features and testing new tools. These are geared toward creating interest-based communities, enhancing content filters, enabling direct messages, supporting long-form content, and even implementing disappearing posts, with reports of early game testing within the app.

Meta also announced significant engagement benchmarks recently. In August 2025, it celebrated Threads crossing 400 million monthly active users. Furthermore, TechCrunch noted that Meta revealed a statistic of 150 million daily active users as of October 2025.

This shift in user engagement occurs amidst increasing regulatory scrutiny facing X over its AI chatbot Grok, particularly concerning the creation of harmful or non-consensual sexual imagery. There are significant concerns regarding sexual deepfakes involving minors that have caught the attention of regulators in various regions.

In California, Attorney General Rob Bonta has initiated an investigation into xAI’s Grok, focusing on the distribution of non-consensual explicit deepfake content aimed at women and children, as stated by the California Department of Justice.

In the UK, the media regulator Ofcom has launched a formal inquiry into X under the Online Safety Act to determine if the platform is fulfilling its legal obligations to curb illegal and damaging content.

According to TechCrunch, the data from Similarweb suggests that Threads’ increase isn't attributable to a single event drawing users away but signals a gradual evolution in user behavior, with X still showing strength on the web while Threads emerges as a preferred mobile platform.

#Global News #Technology