Threads, Meta's text-based social media platform, is experimenting with a new feature that lets users set a 24-hour expiration timer on their posts. This means the post and any replies to it will automatically disappear after 24 hours, similar to how Stories work on other platforms.
This feature was first spotted earlier this summer by developer Alessandro Paluzzi, and now a Threads spokesperson has confirmed that it is being tested by a select group of users. The concept of disappearing posts is reminiscent of Twitter's Fleets, which didn't get much traction before they were discontinued. However, implementing Threads could provide a practical solution for users who frequently delete their posts.
This new development comes a few months after Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri revealed that Threads is exploring the idea of auto-archiving. This optional feature would allow users to set a specific date for their posts to automatically disappear from their feed. However, previous feedback from Threads users indicated that auto-archiving was not very popular, and the feature has not yet been widely adopted.
Despite mixed reactions to some features, Threads has seen significant growth, reaching 200 million users in early August. The platform recently launched an analytics tool called Insights that allows users, especially those with large numbers of followers, to track their account's performance. In addition, Meta has announced that the ability to schedule posts is also in the works.
The introduction of disappearing posts reflects Threads' ongoing efforts to evolve and give users more control over their content. While the success of this feature remains to be seen, it shows that the platform is willing to experiment and adapt based on user feedback.