Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has announced that Threads, the company’s X competitor, is testing custom feeds for specific topics and profiles. This feature will make it easier for users to find communities and conversations that interest them. The news comes as a response to the rapid growth of Bluesky, a social networking startup that prioritizes tools allowing people to build their own algorithms and feeds.
The Rise of Bluesky
Bluesky has gained popularity after the U.S. presidential election, as X (formerly known as Twitter) gained a more right-wing focus under Elon Musk’s ownership. As a result, a number of left-leaning users have moved to Bluesky, which offers features such as building custom feeds, creating lists, and setting moderation rules. Bluesky’s adoption has increased significantly since the election, with over 1 million new sign-ups in just 24 hours.
Threads’ Response: Custom Feeds
Likely wary of Bluesky’s momentum, Threads is introducing custom feeds to cater to user demands for further personalization and customization. Although Threads forces its "For You" algorithmic feed on users by default, the new feature will allow users to create their own feeds, which they can use to follow specific individuals or topics.
To create a custom feed, users need to search for a topic and then tap into it to see the latest posts. From there, they can tap on the three-dot icon next to the search term and choose the option "create new feed." Users can also add specific user profiles to a feed by visiting the user’s profile, tapping the three-dot icon above their profile photo, and then tapping to add them to one of their feeds.
Not All Users Have Access Yet
Not all Threads users have access to custom feeds as of yet. The company is only beginning to test the feature, so only a select group will be able to view their custom feeds. If you are in the test group, you’ll be able to view your custom feeds by pulling down on the home screen, which will reveal the existing Following and For You feeds, along with any other custom feeds you’ve created.
A Hidden Feature
The method of creating custom feeds keeps them somewhat hidden in the user interface. People were already frustrated that Threads’ "For You" feed on election night was displaying stale content instead of real-time news, seemingly not even realizing that a Following feed was an option to them. This is an indication that Threads’ current user interface makes it more challenging to discover and switch between different feeds.
Will Custom Feeds Help Stem the Rush to Bluesky?
Whether or not Threads’ adoption of custom feeds will help stem the rush of new users to Bluesky remains to be seen. Meta’s Threads is still the largest X competitor, with over 275 million monthly active users, including the 15 million more sign-ups it saw in November alone.
The Competition Continues
The competition between Threads and Bluesky continues to heat up. As both platforms aim to provide a unique experience for their users, they are pushing each other to innovate and improve their features. The future of social media is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the battle for user attention has only just begun.
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