Twitter owner Elon Musk appeared to troll Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg as the new Threads platform closes in on 100 million users.
Since the launch of Threads, the Tesla and SpaceX chief has been critical of the new app, even filing a lawsuit accusing Meta of poaching former Twitter staff to build the new social media app.
Mr Musk responded to a Twitter post on the lawsuit last week, saying “Competition is fine, cheating is not”.
On Saturday, he called Threads “just Instagram minus pics,” adding that it “makes no sense, given that thirst pics are the main reason people use that app”.
Then later on Sunday, responding to a screenshot of a Threads conversation between Mr Zuckerberg and the account of fast food joint Wendy’s, the Tesla chief said “Zuck is a cuck”.
“Cuck” is an insult often used to attack the masculinity of an opponent. It is short for “cuckold”, a word dating to the Middle Ages that describes a man who is aware of his wife’s infidelity and acquiesces to it.
Meanwhile, as the Threads app nears close to 100m users, the Meta chief also has expressed his fare share of jibes at the SpaceX and Tesla boss.
Mr Zuckerberg posted his first tweet in 11 years on the day of Threads’ launch, sharing the popular meme of two Spider-Men pointing at each other, a likely reference to the comparisons drawn between Threads and Twitter.
The Meta boss also responded to two posts on Threads in one-worded replies, commenting “concerning”, seemingly a reference to the way Mr Musk tweets often.
Mr Musk has replied with the word “concerning” at least 26 times, according to a review of the multibillionaire’s tweets by Insider.
Since the launch of Threads, Mr Zuckerberg has hoped to draw a contrast to Twitter which currently boasts over 250m users but has also seen a surge in hate speech and misinformation since Mr Musk bought the company last year.
Even as the Meta chief has expressed intention to make “kindness” the focus of Threads, it remains to be seen how new signups by race supremacists and fringe rightwing personalities will affect the platform.
It also remains unclear if the beef between the two tech billionaires is playful banter or bitter competition as they have also expressed willingness to engage in an MMA bout.
The two agreed to a physical fight last month after Mr Musk accused the Meta chief of ripping off Twitter with Threads.
“Up for a cage match,” the Twitter owner and chief operating officer wrote, to which Mr Zuckerberg replied “Send me location”.
UFC trainer Javier Mendez recently said the Meta boss is more likely to win the fight due to his active training, apparent fitness, and experience.
Podcaster and jiu jitsu enthusiast Lex Fridman has also said following a training session with the Tesla boss that he was “extremely impressed” with Mr Musk’s “strength, power, and skill, on the feet and on the ground”.
