Instagram Starts Testing X-Like ‘Today’s Topics’ On Threads

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a Threads post that the platform is launching a new trial in the US. This test will feature a list of trending topics discussed by other users, similar to X, formerly Twitter, visible on the search page and within the For You feed. Users will have the opportunity to explore posts related to specific topics through this feature. Alongside experimenting with a post-saving feature, the social networking giant has announced its intention to introduce controls to restrict the recommendations of political content on Instagram Threads.

“Rolling out a small test of today’s top topics on Threads in the US. We’ll roll it out in more countries and languages once we get it tuned up…,” Zuckerberg posted on Threads.

The “Today’s Topics” feature on Threads will assist users in focusing on the discussions happening on the platform. It will be accessible on the search page of Threads and will also be integrated into the algorithmic “For You” feed for certain users in the United States.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, indicates that Threads utilises machine learning (ML) AI systems to decide the content on its list. These systems factor in both the number of individuals discussing a specific topic and the level of engagement with posts related to it.

Mosseri mentioned that the company employs a team of content specialists to ensure that topics adhere to Threads’ community guidelines and avoid duplication or confusion. He further states that political trends are eligible for inclusion on the “Today’s Topics” list. Additionally, users have the option to report topics that may breach the platform’s guidelines.

“Our content specialists will review the topics selected by our AI systems to make sure they’re not duplicative or confusing, but by and large, we want them to accurately represent what is actually topical on Threads,” he said in a post on Threads.

App developer Alessandro Paluzzi was the first to spot Facebook parent Meta’s development of this feature back in January, and its introduction is widely seen as a positive change. It is expected to simplify the process of discovering new posts and users on Threads, addressing a significant challenge the platform has faced since its inception. While “Today’s Topics” is currently being introduced in the US, Zuckerberg has stated that Meta plans to expand its availability to “more countries and languages” once it’s been refined.