Meta began experimenting with an option for auto-archiving posts back in April, but the feature never came to fruition in that form. However, the company has now confirmed that they’re experimenting with a new ephemeral post format, where users can choose to have a post disappear after 24 hours.
Reverse-engineer Alessandro Paluzzi published a temporary post on Friday, highlighting how the feature will work. When you make a reply, a timer is visible, and the app tells you that the post and all of its replies will disappear when the timer runs out. According to TechCrunch, quote posts also disappear when the timer runs out, although the in-app banner doesn’t say that.
Meta told TechCrunch that this feature is being tested with a limited number of users, although it isn’t clear if the feature is region specific, nor is it clear how you get access to the feature. A Meta spokesperson described the feature as a “new and casual way to share on Threads.”
Alessandro initially discovered this feature back in June, and it’s looking like this feature is nearing a stage of mass rollout. One thing to keep in mind is that temporary posts won’t be shared with the Fediverse (i.e. Mastodon), as Meta won’t be able to delete the posts from other servers.
The reverse-engineer also shared a couple days ago that Meta is preparing to launch ads on Threads, just over a year after the platforms launch. It makes sense, given the fact that Threads has over 200 million users and needs to make money to sustain itself, although an Instagram spokesperson downplayed the leak in a statement.
Do you think this new Threads feature is interesting enough for you to use? Let us know in the comments.
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