Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has unveiled two recent updates for the social media platform, including one that introduces the option to delete a Threads user profile
Threads, Meta’s micro-blogging competitor to Elon Musk’s X, has swiftly gained popularity as a social media platform within months of its launch. Despite being in its early stages, the text-based app from Instagram has garnered user feedback, prompting Instagram head Adam Mosseri to unveil two significant updates for the platform. One of these updates addresses a longstanding concern: the inability to delete a Threads user profile without deleting the linked Instagram account. With the latest update, users can now delete their Threads profile separately from their Instagram account, providing more flexibility in managing their online presence. The process involves navigating to Settings > Account > Delete or Deactivate Profile, where users can choose to delete their Threads account.
The second update empowers users with more control over the visibility of their Threads posts across Meta’s social platforms. Previously, Threads posts automatically appeared on Instagram and Facebook feeds, promoting engagement across Meta’s established platforms. However, in response to user privacy concerns and the lack of control over where their Threads posts would be displayed, the update introduces the option to opt out of featuring posts on platforms outside Threads. This can be accessed in the Privacy section of the Settings menu.
Since its dynamic launch in July, Threads has faced criticism for its initial lack of features typical of text-based social media platforms. It recently addressed this by rolling out a Web version in August to align with X (formerly Twitter). Additionally, the app has faced scrutiny over user data collection practices common to other Meta apps. Following its record-breaking launch with the fastest reach of 100 million downloads on July 6, Threads encountered user retention challenges, losing over half of its users in the subsequent weeks. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged the focus on boosting user retention, emphasizing the ongoing effort to retain a substantial user base.
In the latest developments, Threads has introduced an edit button and a Voice Threads feature. The edit button allows users to make multiple edits to a Thread within five minutes of posting, while the Voice Threads feature enables users to share recorded voice messages as Threads posts.
