Meta’s Threads Tests 24-hour Posts

Meta’s microblogging social media platform Threads is experimenting with a new feature that allows users to set a 24-hour expiration timer on their posts, which will cause the content and any replies to disappear once the timer runs out. 

The feature is currently being tested among a select group of users, mirrors the ephemeral format popularised by Instagram Stories and Snapchat. The move is reminiscent of Twitter’s Fleets, a short-lived feature that allowed users to share temporary posts, though it failed to gain traction before being discontinued.

The 24-hour expiration timer is part of a broader effort by Threads to provide users with more control over their content. Earlier this year, Instagram head Adam Mosseri revealed that Threads was also testing an auto-archiving feature. This would allow users to automatically hide posts from their feed after a set period. However, the feature has not seen widespread implementation, as many users expressed little interest in automatic archiving.

As Threads continues to innovate, the platform has seen significant growth, surpassing the 200 million user mark at the start of August 2024. In addition to the new expiration timer, Meta recently introduced an analytics tool called "Insights," designed to help users—especially those with large followings—track their account performance. 

The company also announced that it would soon roll out an option for users to schedule posts and enhance the platform’s capabilities for content creators.