Meta Tests Threads Friends Feature in Select Regions
The tool allows users to share posts with up to 50 followers as Meta evaluates limited-audience engagement.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Internet
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Meta is currently testing a new feature called Threads Friends in Ireland, Italy, and Japan. This research-stage tool allows users to share posts with a restricted group of up to 50 followers.
Why it matters
The feature attempts to shift user engagement toward smaller, private networks, mirroring previous industry experiments in curated content sharing. It signals an effort to refine social discovery and privacy controls within the platform.
The feature enables sharing with a maximum group size of 50 followers, significantly smaller than the 150-user limit supported by the defunct Twitter Circles. Posts shared through the tool are visible within a rolling 24-hour window.
The players
Meta
The parent company of the Threads social media platform and a major developer of social networking software.
The details
Users access the feature via a green bubble at the top of their feed, which displays posts shared with the private group in the last 24 hours. The application uses automated algorithms to suggest group members based on the frequency of a user's engagement, though the list remains customizable by the user.
Timeline
October 2026: Meta began testing Threads Friends.
Last 24 hours: The viewable timeframe for shared posts.
The Tech Race
This test mirrors the 2022 rollout and 2023 sunsetting of Twitter's Circles, which similarly provided a private sharing environment. Meta is now exploring whether a smaller follower limit can sustain the interest that the earlier 150-user model failed to maintain.
Currently, only users in Ireland, Italy, and Japan can utilize the Threads Friends interface to curate private content streams. Access requires navigating to the green bubble dashboard, with no announced availability for other global markets.
The takeaway
Meta is evaluating whether smaller, automated follower clusters can drive more consistent engagement than past industry attempts at semi-private broadcasting. Readers should watch for future announcements regarding an expansion of the test to additional regions or new feature iterations.
Further reading
For broader trends in social platform development, visit the Internet section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Engadget.
Live Poll
Would you use social media more often if you could share posts with smaller groups only?
