Threads is undergoing significant updates as it approaches its third anniversary, introducing features aimed at enhancing user engagement. The app now allows users to send direct messages, a crucial shift from its previous focus solely on public posts. This change enables users to conduct private conversations, fostering closer connections beyond the public sphere. For the time being, only mutual followers aged 18 and older on Threads or Instagram can access the messaging feature.
Meta has implemented this age restriction to ensure user safety and control. The company indicated that it may expand this feature in the future by adding controls for messages, group chats, and inbox filters, allowing users to determine who can contact them and to curate their conversations more effectively. In addition to the messaging capability, Threads has launched the Threads highlighter, a new feature designed to emphasize posts associated with trending topics or significant discussions. These highlighted posts will be displayed in various sections of the app, including the explore tab, where users typically search for new content.
The intention behind this feature is to draw attention to diverse perspectives and foster vibrant conversations on the platform. Meta’s research indicates that over a third of daily Threads users follow accounts that differ from those they follow on Instagram, highlighting the potential of Threads to cultivate its own unique audience. The newly introduced features are tailored to further this growth and enhance user interactions. Though these updates may seem minor, they are poised to influence how users engage with Threads in the future.
By integrating private messaging and spotlighting popular discussions, Meta aims to enhance the app’s utility for everyday interactions. As Threads continues to evolve, these innovations may help it establish itself as a unique platform for varied conversations rather than just an extension of Instagram.