To improve the user experience and curb spam, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) is introducing a unique tagging feature to its Threads app.
What Happened: As reported by Android Central on Dec. 11, 2023, Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head, announced that Threads is launching the ability to tag topics in posts on a global scale. This move comes after a successful trial run in Australia last month. The new feature enables users to organize their posts by topic, making them easier to find through these tags.
Threads' tagging system differs from other social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. Instead of the conventional hash (#) symbol, Threads' tags appear as blue text that can include spaces and special characters. Users can add a topic tag by hitting the # key or choosing it from the icon lineup in the composition box.
Threads limit users to only one tag per post, an effort to create a more engaging and positive environment by reducing spam. Tags must be added manually by users, thus preventing accidental hashtag spam or irrelevant tags.
Adam Mosseri expressed in his announcement that the goal of this design is to focus more on communities and less on "engagement hacking" - a practice where irrelevant tags are added to posts to attract more views.
Why It Matters: The introduction of this unique tagging feature comes amid a surge in the app's popularity. Threads' daily downloads jumped from about 350,000 in early November to 620,000, outperforming X (formerly Twitter). This surge in downloads, particularly since November, has resulted in Threads amassing 41 million new downloads since September, compared to X's 27 million.
Despite this increase in popularity, Threads has previously faced criticism for providing vague explanations regarding certain aspects of the platform, leading to user dissatisfaction.