The brand-new Following feed in Meta’s Threads won’t always stick around if it’s your preferred way to use the app.
The much-needed Following feed is unfortunately a bit hidden: you can make it appear by tapping the home icon at the bottom of the screen or the Threads logo at the top. Once you see it, you can switch between “Following,” which shows posts in reverse-chronological order, and “For You,” which is the algorithmically sorted feed the app has offered since launch.
But a few of us at The Verge noticed that Threads will occasionally rehide the Following feed and bring you back to the For You feed after you open the app. (You can test it for yourself by force closing and reopening the app.) Unfortunately, it sounds like that’s by design, based on a statement from Meta.
“For You is the default experience when you open the Threads app,” Meta spokesperson Seine Kim tells The Verge. We’ve asked Kim if Meta plans to add a way to set Following as a default in the future.
Having no way to make Following the default is a particularly annoying decision if you want to regularly use the app to get caught up on the latest news. Although, given that Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has said that Threads isn’t for news and politics, this For You / Following behavior perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise. (Instagram also deprioritizes the Following feed by hiding it behind a nondescript arrow next to the Instagram logo.)
Threads, the messaging app developed by Meta, has introduced a new Following feed feature. This feature allows users to view posts in reverse-chronological order from accounts they follow. However, it seems that this Following feed may not always remain accessible for users as their default view within the app. This has caused frustration among users who prefer the Following feed and wish to use it regularly to stay updated on the latest news.
To access the Following feed in Threads, users need to tap either the home icon at the bottom of the screen or the Threads logo at the top. Once the Following feed is visible, users can switch between “Following” and “For You” feeds. The “For You” feed is algorithmically sorted, similar to the feed that has been available since the app’s launch.
Some users have noticed that the Following feed is occasionally hidden, and they are automatically brought back to the For You feed when they reopen the app. This behavior is not a bug but rather a deliberate design choice by Meta, according to a statement from Meta spokesperson Seine Kim. The default experience for Threads is the For You feed, and it currently doesn’t offer an option to set the Following feed as the default.
This lack of control over the default feed can be frustrating for users who rely on the Following feed to stay informed about the latest news. However, this decision aligns with Instagram boss Adam Mosseri’s previous statement that Threads is not intended for news and politics. Instagram, the parent company of Threads, has also deprioritized the Following feed on its main platform by hiding it behind a nondescript arrow next to the Instagram logo.
The decision to prioritize the algorithmically sorted For You feed may be aimed at keeping users engaged with the app by presenting content tailored to their interests. This approach aligns with the broader trend of social media platforms using algorithms to curate personalized content for users. However, it may not be ideal for users who prefer a more chronological and unfiltered experience.
Given the frustrations expressed by users, it remains to be seen whether Meta will consider adding an option to set the Following feed as the default view in Threads. This change would provide users with greater control over their content consumption experience and cater to those who prefer a chronological feed to stay up to date with the latest news and updates.
In conclusion, the Following feed in Threads offers a valuable way for users to view posts from accounts they follow in reverse-chronological order. However, the app’s default experience is the algorithmically sorted For You feed, and users have limited control over making the Following feed their default view. This limitation may hinder users who rely on Threads to stay updated on the latest news and may leave them wanting more customization options in the app. Only time will tell if Meta will address these concerns and provide users with greater control over their Threads experience.
