Daniel Mercer
Threads is currently testing a new feature designed to enable users to share posts privately with a select group of followers. This feature, referred to as “Threads Friends,” is being piloted in countries including Ireland, Italy, and Japan. Essentially, it serves as a “close friends” list, permitting users to share content with up to 50 friends—also termed “Thriends” by the app—without making it accessible to the broader audience on the platform.
This concept bears a striking resemblance to a functionality Twitter launched in 2022 called “Circles,” which allowed users to restrict their posts to groups of up to 150 individuals. Twitter discontinued the Circles feature about a year later.
Meta is facilitating the creation of users’ initial friend lists by automatically suggesting followers with whom they frequently interact. According to a spokesperson from Meta, these suggestions can be customized. After establishing a friend list, users can easily access a green bubble at the top of their feed, showcasing “Friends’ posts shared in the last 24 hours.”
Although detailed visuals of this feature have not yet been released, Laura Javier, the product design director for Threads, provided a sneak peek of how a friends-only post will appear. She also revealed a playful twist where “Threads Friends” is humorously shortened to “Thriends.”
At this time, it remains uncertain if or when Meta will broaden the scope of this initial testing phase, meaning most users in the United States will not have access to it for the foreseeable future. individuals who know users in the testing regions will be able to view friends-only posts if they are included in those users’ lists.
Brandon Fletcher
