Meta’s X competitor, Threads, is introducing a new “disappearing posts” feature that will allow the app’s over 400 million monthly users to share their thoughts and engage in conversations that are automatically archived after 24 hours.
The option, dubbed “ghost posts,” launches on Monday for Threads users worldwide.
Users will now be able to create a ghost post on mobile devices by toggling on the new “ghost” icon on the app’s compose screen. When the post is published, it appears in others’ timelines with a dotted conversation bubble around it to differentiate the post from other content.
Other users on both desktop and mobile devices can reply to the post, but these responses are sent directly to the poster’s DMs (direct messages); these replies don’t appear in the timeline.
Underneath the post, people can see if others have liked and replied to the ghost post, which is indicated by smiley-faced icons. But only posters can see the actual number of likes and replies, and who engaged.
After 24 hours, the posts disappear from the timeline, but are still available to the original poster from the “archived” section, accessed from the main settings menu.
Image Credits:Meta/Instagram Threads / Getty Images
(Note: If you’ve turned off message requests, people you don’t follow won’t be able to reply to your ghost posts. If message requests are enabled, any replies from people you don’t follow go to your message request inbox instead. You can adjust these settings from the drop-down menu in the top right of your profile.)
Techcrunch event 2-FOR-1 DISCOUNT: Bring a +1 and save 60% Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. And don’t miss 300+ showcasing startups in all sectors.
... continue reading