Threads now allows users to block content in bulk, add custom filters, and set time limits on them, something Instagram still doesn’t offer. 

You can now temporarily silence specific topics for up to 30 days, a good step toward giving people more autonomy online, whether to avoid political noise, spoilers from a new series, or simply the internet’s daily dose of viral issues.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, confirmed the rollout in a post on Threads, “Threads is about fostering an open exchange of perspectives, and to do so people need to be able to shape the experience into one where they feel comfortable expressing themselves.”

Previously, Threads borrowed Instagram’s content moderation tools, meaning filters applied on one platform also affected the other. This update changes that dynamic entirely. The Hidden Words setting on Threads is now standalone. Users can decide what to filter, where to filter it, and for how long, without Instagram dictating the terms.

This flexibility mirrors what’s already available on X (formerly Twitter), where users can mute specific words for 1 day, a week, or a month. But Threads takes it further. Its batch-filtering feature lets users mute several keywords and emojis all at once, useful in the middle of a news cycle or cultural trend that doesn’t interest you.

Threads is also reportedly testing spoiler tags, giving people the option to hide sensitive or time-sensitive content behind a “tap to reveal” prompt. That could be a game-changer for users tired of seeing spoilers or distressing headlines in real time.

Beyond filters, the platform is gradually shedding Instagram’s skin. Threads is testing standalone direct messages (DMs), removing follow suggestions based on Instagram activity, and even letting users sign up without needing an Instagram account at all.

It helps that the platform has crossed the 350 million user mark. That’s enough data for Meta to stop relying on Instagram usage patterns and begin refining features directly for Threads. 

These changes are part of a vision to compete with X by focusing on safety, customisation, and user control.

While the new features are rolling out in phases and may not be available to all users immediately, they point to a good direction for where Threads is headed—a more user-driven, noise-resistant social space.

The current numbers were disclosed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report. Threads has attracted more users even with strong competition from platforms such as X, Bluesky, and Mastodon. 

Zuckerberg also noted that the app is seeing over 1 million new sign-ups daily.

Meta has been actively enhancing Threads with new features to keep users engaged. Recent updates include the ability to schedule posts and view post impressions. Added to these, the company appears to be testing advertising opportunities on the platform, particularly in the U.S. and Japan, as it explores monetisation strategies.

Susan Li, Meta’s chief financial officer, spoke on the ongoing improvements to the app’s recommendation system. She explained that the updates are designed to “prioritize more recent posts, surface content from top creators, and ensure people see more of the content from accounts they follow.” The company is also refining its custom feed options, allowing users to personalise their content experience further.

Meanwhile, rival platforms are seeing mixed results. Bluesky, which grew significantly in November, added less than 10% more users in December, bringing its total to 26.44 million. This shows that while Threads is gaining acceleration, some competitors are struggling to maintain their initial growth.

With Meta’s continued investment in Threads and a focus on user engagement, the platform is ensuring a strong alternative to X and other microblogging apps. Zuckerberg previously stated that Threads could reach 1 billion users in the coming years.

This update, confirmed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, aims to make post management more seamless while preserving the platform’s focus on real-time conversations.

The scheduling option, set to undergo testing, will enable users to plan their posts in advance through a simple three-dot menu in the composer.

All scheduled posts will be stored in a drafts folder, where users can edit, delete, or reschedule them as needed. However, replies cannot be scheduled to ensure the spontaneity of discussions remains intact.

According to Mosseri, the feature has been in development for months. Its launch aligns with other recent enhancements across Meta platforms, such as the ability to schedule direct messages on Instagram.

This update comes as Threads continues to grow at a commendable rate, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealing that the platform has surpassed 100 million daily active users and now has over 300 million monthly active users. 

The addition of post scheduling is expected to be particularly useful for content creators and social media managers, enabling them to have better control over their content strategy.

With this highly anticipated feature, Threads aims to meet user demands while enhancing its competitive edge in the social media market.

The platform has also grown to 300 million monthly active users, an increase from the 275 million reported last month.

This is the first time Meta has disclosed daily active user statistics for Threads, as it continues to influence the social media space.

Launched as a competitor to X, Threads has seen a surge in popularity, benefiting from a wave of users migrating from its rival. 

The platform’s continuous expansion has been supported by the rollout of user-friendly features such as custom feeds, curated account recommendations for new users, and an option to personalise the default feed.

These updates have helped sustain the platform’s growth and attract new sign-ups.

In contrast, competing platform Bluesky, which has gained traction as an alternative to X, currently reports a user base of just over 25 million. Nonetheless, Threads remains far ahead in scale, leveraging its wider ecosystem under Meta to accelerate growth.

While Threads has become a major platform in the social media market, Meta is reportedly exploring monetisation strategies, with ads potentially being introduced next year. 

The platform’s continued development will determine how it balances user growth with long-term profitability.

While its user base is smaller compared to Instagram Threads, which recently reported over 275 million monthly active users, Bluesky’s fast growth is closing the gap. 

Analysis from market intelligence firm Similarweb shows that while Threads initially had five times more daily active users than Bluesky, by mid-November, the lead had narrowed to just 1.5 times.  

In terms of daily website visits, Bluesky has already outpaced Threads in key markets like the United States and the United Kingdom. 

Globally, it is on the brink of overtaking Threads in this metric, as mobile app usage surges, where Bluesky has seen explosive growth.  

According to Similarweb, usage of the Bluesky mobile app in the United States rose by 519% between the beginning of November and mid-month, compared to the first ten months of the year. 

The United Kingdom experienced a similar surge, with a 352% increase. On a global scale, usage on Android devices climbed more than 360%. A temporary spike in Brazilian users earlier this year, during a ban on X in the country, also contributed to these figures, though some users returned to X after the ban was lifted.  

Bluesky’s journey began with an invite-only system before opening to the public in February. Its user base has more than doubled since September when it had just over 9 million users.

In the week following the U.S. presidential election, the app reportedly added one million new users in a single week, averaging over 100,000 new users daily.  

The platform’s growth is partially a result of dissatisfaction with changes on X. Some users have objected to Elon Musk’s endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump and new policies on X, including modifications to the blocking feature and the controversial sale of user data for AI training. 

These changes have driven many users to seek alternatives, with Bluesky becoming a preferred option.  

While X remains the top platform with daily active user counts far surpassing Bluesky’s, the latter’s consistent growth shows it might get close soon enough. 

Launched in mid-2023, Threads was initially built as a direct competitor to X (formerly known as Twitter), aiming to capture users from X when changes occurred under the ownership of Elon Musk. 

Despite rapid growth and reaching 275 million monthly active users, Meta’s initial priority with Threads has been focused on user experience rather than immediate monetisation.

Starting next year, however, Meta plans to experiment with ads by allowing a limited group of advertisers to post on Threads. This pilot phase is reportedly being led by Instagram’s advertising team, which will manage the introduction of ads in a controlled environment. 

According to company CFO Susan Li, the app is not expected to contribute significantly to Meta’s revenue in 2025, emphasising that the immediate goal is not profitability but enhancing user value. 

Li noted that additional features will also be added to the platform over time, potentially increasing its viability as an advertising channel in the future.

Threads’ advertising initiative comes at a time when X has been dealing with complex advertiser relationships.

Under Musk’s leadership, X has faced some changes in content policies that prompted several brands to reconsider their ad spending, pointing to brand safety. 

As a result, some companies have pulled back their ad investments, and Musk’s company recently filed a lawsuit against major corporations, including Mars and CVS Health, accusing them of a coordinated ad boycott that contributed to a revenue decline.

Meta’s gradual approach with Threads may position the platform as a safer alternative for advertisers seeking a more controlled environment for their brand messages. 

The platform may offer advertisers an attractive option later on, as the social media space continues to evolve.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Threads and Instagram, recently highlighted the app’s success in gaining user traction, noting its growth from 150 million to 275 million active users within months. 

Meta has a long-term goal to establish Threads as a top platform in the social media space, though monetisation will remain secondary to building user engagement in the near term.

“Yesterday we crossed 275M monthly active users on @Threads. A big thank you to everyone who’s helped us get this far. There’s a lot more to do, and plenty of things to fix, but there’s something exciting about this place.”

Since its launch in July 2023, Threads has attracted a large number of users, particularly those seeking alternatives to X following Elon Musk’s controversial acquisition of that platform. 

Threads initially hit the 150 million user mark in April, and by August, the platform had grown to 200 million monthly active users. 

The addition of 75 million new users within the past three months resulted from strong user engagement and retention growth, pointing to Threads’ appeal within the social networking industry.

During Meta’s Q3 2024 earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg provided further insights, revealing that Threads is currently onboarding around one million users daily, strengthening the platform’s rapid growth. 

However, there are still challenges in terms of content moderation. Complaints from users regarding moderation have been increasing, with some frustrated over inconsistent enforcement and questionable content policies.

In response to these issues, Threads has taken steps to improve its moderation approach. Mosseri has acknowledged that the company has addressed specific mistakes and implemented changes aimed at improving the accuracy and consistency of content moderation. 

This ongoing refinement is part of Meta’s strategy to establish Threads as a leading text-based platform while maintaining a safe and user-friendly environment.

The platform is building on its success as Meta remains focused on both expanding the platform’s user base and addressing the complexities of managing a large-scale social network. 

With the growing competition, Threads’ growth will likely involve balancing growth with the essential task of safeguarding content standards.

This will help boost engagement on Threads, a platform that has been integrated with Instagram and Facebook since its launch.

App researcher Alessandro Paluzzi recently discovered the feature, which appears in the Threads app’s compose box. Users can now select Instagram Reels from their accounts and share them on Threads, simplifying the process for those who already cross-post between the platforms.

Tapping the Instagram icon within Threads’ compose box, users are presented with a grid of their Instagram content, including both posts and Reels, making it simpler to share this media across platforms. 

This development may appeal to users looking to expand their reach and enhance interaction with followers by sharing content across multiple Meta platforms.

This is not Meta’s first attempt at cross-platform integration. Earlier this year, it began testing automatic cross-posting from Instagram to Threads. A similar feature was also in development for Facebook, aiming to make content distribution more seamless across Meta’s suite of apps.

To boost visibility on Threads, Meta introduced a feature last year where posts from the platform appeared in carousels on both Instagram and Facebook. 

However, the move received mixed reactions, with some users uncomfortable about their posts being recommended on other platforms. In response, Meta later introduced an opt-out option for those who preferred not to have their content suggested elsewhere.

This change, first observed by users in domain-related forums, lists Meta’s Instagram as the new registrant of the site. 

Originally, Meta launched its Threads social platform using the Threads.net domain, as Threads.com was then owned by a Slack alternative startup.

Following the social network’s release, the startup was reportedly approached by several companies interested in acquiring the domain. 

Eventually, in June, Shopify acquired Threads.com for an undisclosed amount. A statement from the startup at the time revealed that it had previously declined acquisition offers but chose to sell this time due to changing circumstances and a desire to join a larger organisation.

The domain has seen increased attention since Meta’s Threads platform launched, pointing to the fact that Meta would eventually pursue its purchase.

Meta’s social network, Threads, was launched last year as a direct competitor to Twitter, now rebranded as X. With over 200 million users to date, the acquisition of Threads.com may draw attention to the next phase for Meta’s vision for the platform. 

Though the domain is not yet active, it is expected to be incorporated into Meta’s operations soon, possibly giving a fresh boost to the Threads social network.

This comes shortly after Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, spoke on the platform’s rapid growth during the company’s second-quarter earnings call for 2024. 

Adam Mosseri, who heads Instagram, confirmed the news in a post on Threads, noting the platform’s prospects to enhance community and inspire collective ideas.

Launched in July 2023, Threads has experienced outstanding growth, reaching 150 million users by April 2024 and 175 million by its one-year anniversary in July. 

The latest surge has brought the user base beyond 200 million, showing an increase in acceleration over recent weeks. This expansion reveals the platform’s ability to attract users despite its ties to Instagram, pointing to genuine engagement beyond mere profile creation.

Threads’ rise can be partially attributed to the changing dynamics of online discourse, with users seeking alternatives to X amidst its controversial changes under Elon Musk’s leadership. 

The recent political issue, including the U.S. election activities and other global events, may have further driven users toward Threads, providing a space for real-time discussions.

Zuckerberg remains positive about the platform’s future, aiming for the platform to reach over a billion users eventually. While Threads still lags behind X’s larger user base, its current growth direction shows a favourable sign for its potential to capture a great share of the social media industry.