Threads Is Trying to Become More Like Bluesky
Bluesky is definitely having a moment. The platform currently has over 21 million users , and these users are active: posting messages, sharing them, following new accounts , and creating starter packs that other users can join.
Meta no doubt sees this success and wants to build on it for its similar Threads platform. Although Threads currently has many more users ( 275 million as of November ), the platform of choice for online discussions is without a doubt Bluesky. We’ve covered it accordingly .
Big changes to the Thread “For You” feed
Perhaps in an attempt to compete with Bluesky’s current popularity, Threads is making some big changes this week. First, and perhaps most importantly, the service is adjusting its default “For You” algorithm to prioritize accounts you follow over accounts you don’t follow. Instagram head Adam Mosseri posed on Threads announcing the changes:
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This is a good change and solves a problem created by the thread itself. Threads, like other social media platforms, offers users two channels. “For You,” which displays algorithmically sorted content from both accounts you follow and those you don’t, and “Followings,” which displays only posts from accounts you follow. The problem is that Threads always defaults back to the For You tab, even if you last stopped at the Subscriptions tab. So every time you open a new Threads session, you’re seeing content from people you don’t follow, whether you like it or not.
So these new changes to the algorithm should improve the situation. You’ll still see messages from accounts you don’t follow, but less frequently as messages from accounts you follow appear more frequently. While you’ll still stick with the default “For You” feed, perhaps the algorithm will be tweaked enough that you won’t feel the need to switch to “Followings” every time. Plus, as Mosseri noted, the changes will focus on interaction from subscribers, rather than from unrelated accounts. Let’s hope this inspires more Threads posters to create content that’s more focused on their audience and less on what they think will blow up on Threads as a whole. This should shift content towards more localized interests rather than sensationalist fakery.
In addition to the algorithmic changes, Threads also launched user channels this week . These channels allow you to choose a specific topic or set of accounts to follow, rather than just scrolling through the general “For You” or “Following” channels. By the way, Bluesky also has its own channels and has been for some time. Imagine this.