Meta's Threads has reached 500 million monthly active users. The platform announced new features today that could shift how people experience social media, TechCrunch reports.
The main addition is Your Algo—a feature that lets you privately customize your feed. Unlike the public "Dear Algo" posts users could make in February, Your Algo works behind the scenes. You choose topics, set how long the preference lasts (one, three, or seven days), and only you see the requests. It launches today in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
X and Instagram do not have equivalent features. Threads is giving users control over their algorithmic feeds as user frustration with endless, unfiltered content grows.
Threads is also bringing Communities out of beta with upgrades. Communities launched last year as a hybrid of TikTok and X. They now have a dedicated Discovery Hub for finding communities about specific interests—basketball, K-pop, books, television, and others.
Communities are getting distinct icons to make them easier to spot. Live Chats are expanding. Launched in April for events like the FIFA World Cup, by July all communities will be able to host real-time conversations. Users can now co-host chats and quote moments directly to their feeds.
Instagram head Connor Hayes told TechCrunch: "When folks use the app with a clear purpose and they find their people in the app quickly, it's just a better experience for them." Threads is positioning itself as quieter, more intentional, and less video-focused than rivals.
With 500 million users and features competitors cannot replicate, Threads continues to expand.
