Threads is looking to enhance the real-time engagement element of the app, by adding active indicators that will signify when a user is online.
As you can see in this example, now, when a user is active, there’ll be a green dot at the edge of their profile pic, alerting users that they’re in the app right now.
That could prompt more people to engage, knowing that they’re more likely to get a response, which could help to trigger more conversation in the app.
As with all such indicators, users will be able to switch off their active status if they choose, while those using private accounts will only display their active status to their followers.
It’s another step towards facilitating real-time discussion in the app, which will bring Threads a little closer to what Twitter had once been, though its aversion to political content, and whatever topics the Threads team defines as “political” remains a restriction in this respect.
The real value of Twitter was that you could tune into the pulse of what was happening at any time, and get a real sense of the crux of an issue or event through real-time tweets. Sure, there were also spammers adding in trending hashtags and clogging up live feeds. But even so, Twitter was the best place to go to stay in touch with whatever was happening on a given day, and the only platform that didn’t lose that feel through algorithmic prioritization, which dilutes that immediacy.
X has leaned more into that algorithmic approach, which makes sense, as that’s what drives more engagement. But at the same time, you can still switch to the “Following” feed and keep up with key posts from people you follow. You can do this on the desktop version of Threads as well (as the app reverts to the “For You” feed by default), but still, Threads doesn’t have that same pulse, that same sense of being connected into a global stream of consciousness that links you into the topics of the day.
Which could be because of Threads’ avoidance of political news, as part of Meta’s broader shift away from news elements. Because Meta doesn’t want to get the blame in the wake of the U.S. election, like it did back in 2016, while users have repeatedly told Meta that they’ve had enough of angst and fighting prompted by divisive political posts.
Reels keep people watching more, and are generally not political content. So Meta’s made the shift towards more light-hearted videos instead, but for Threads, I don’t think that approach will work.
Eventually, I expect Threads will ease its limits on topical discussion, likely after the election, and live status indicators are another step towards facilitating real-time, immediate discussions and engagement in the app.
That’s a critical step towards becoming a more viable replacement for Twitter, and beating out X in the real-time social race.
Meta may not want politics now, but I do think that, soon, it will have to make more of an effort to facilitate all forms of topical discussion.
