Instagram Threads is rolling out customers’ most-requested function to this point: the flexibility to message folks instantly, with out having to modify to a different app, like Instagram. The corporate stated direct messages (DMs) will start rolling out to customers globally starting on Tuesday, alongside a brand new visible factor referred to as highlighter.
The latter will emphasize attention-grabbing views and conversations, Meta says, beginning with Trending Matters.
At launch, Threads DMs provide a primary set of options. They’ll help one-on-one chats, preset emoji reactions, the flexibility to report spam, and mute DMs (as on Instagram). Different options, like group messaging, inbox filters, and extra superior message controls, will arrive in a later launch.
Meaning at this time, you possibly can’t block a follower or mutual from messaging you — you possibly can solely block them on Threads, which will even block them on Instagram. To regulate who can message you, you need to select whether or not or not you comply with the person.
At launch, DMs might be accessible for customers 18 and up in most markets the place Threads is obtainable, aside from Japan, Australia, the U.Ok., and the EU.
With the addition of DMs, Threads turns into extra aggressive with different text-first social apps like X and Bluesky, the place customers can interact with each other instantly and even in group chats, as in X’s case.
Nonetheless, whereas X is engaged on encrypted direct messages inside X Chat, Threads has no intention of tightly securing its personal messaging function.
“We’re not encrypting our DMs,” stated Emily Dalton Smith, Threads VP of Product. “It’s actually about simply connecting instantly and speaking to folks about no matter is going on now, which I believe makes encryption much less core to the expertise.”
As an alternative, she stated that DMs are supposed to construct on the group that individuals have created within the public area on Threads — a community that’s shaping as much as be solely totally different from its dad or mum app, Instagram, Smith identified.

“One factor that’s been notably thrilling is that we have now seen that persons are constructing their very own graphs on Threads,” she stated. “They’re build up what we consider as an curiosity graph that’s new and distinct from the social graph that underlies their account on Instagram.”
Regardless of having been constructed on prime of Instagram’s social graph, over a 3rd of the individuals who come to Threads every day have lower than a 50% overlap between their Instagram connections and Threads connections, Meta stated.
“Instagram is actually for creativity and Threads is actually for views,” Smith famous.
The corporate additionally discovered that customers are following totally different units of individuals throughout Instagram and Threads and are participating in several pursuits and conversations.
Due to this rising disconnect between the apps, Meta goals to check different methods for folks to make use of Threads with out an Instagram account.
As an example, it’s testing the flexibility for customers to log in with their Fb account (in Europe) or create a Threads-only account. It’s additionally testing the flexibility to make use of Threads from the net whereas not logged in in any respect.

The Threads creator group is exclusive, too. Though it might embrace those that are widespread creators on different platforms, some have turn out to be creators on Threads itself. One instance is David Speeding, a passionate fan who constructed up the NBA Threads group.
Smith stated Threads wish to make it simpler for its customers to seek out communities like this and others, and this is a crucial a part of the app’s upcoming roadmap.
On this entrance, Threads initially launched tags (like hashtags with out the hash # image) to arrange conversations. It then created matter feeds so you may see every part that was being mentioned round that space of curiosity. Now the main target might be on figuring out the people who find themselves lively and prime contributors inside a group.
Threads expects to point out extra urged customers to comply with in search and suggestions over the subsequent couple of months, Smith stated.

The brand new spotlight function might additionally assist right here.
Whereas at this time, the function will spotlight trending matters associated to the content material you’re studying whereas scrolling your For You feed, over time, Threads might spotlight views from customers or lively conversations that you just would possibly wish to leap into, together with inside varied matter feeds.
There are at present no different plans to monetize Threads past advertisements, Smith confirmed, despite the fact that Meta has an AI function that could possibly be built-in into the expertise the way in which xAI’s AI chatbot, Grok, is used to promote X Premium subscriptions.
As an alternative, Meta is first targeted on getting advertisements proper, whereas utilizing AI to energy issues within the background, like trending matters’ headlines and summaries, as an example.
That doesn’t imply the group will rule out AI options additional down the street.
“We think about, most likely, all concepts,” Smith stated, “however we’re actually simply constructing on what our group tells us and attempting to prioritize such a small and rising app.”
Threads just isn’t small, to be clear; the app has 350 million month-to-month lively customers, way over newcomers like Bluesky, which has 37 million registered customers. However in contrast with Meta’s household of apps, the place person bases are counted in billions, Threads nonetheless has a lot to show to its company dad or mum.
Forward of the worldwide launch, DMs had been examined earlier this month in a number of markets, together with Hong Kong, Thailand, Argentina, and Brazil.
{content material}
Supply: {feed_title}