Threads may soon let you create temporary posts that disappear within a day
Threads is reportedly testing a new feature for the platform that will allow users to post messages that will disappear after a certain period of time. These temporary posts can be visible for up to 24 hours, the report says. Comments placed under the posts will also reportedly be automatically deleted once the parent post is gone. The Meta-owned social media platform is reportedly testing the feature with a small group of users at the moment, and there’s no word on when it might roll out to the wider user base.
Threads allegedly testing temporary messages
Meta is testing a temporary messaging feature with a limited number of users, the company confirmed to TechCruch. The development came after Threads told the publication in June that temporary messages were being built as an internal prototype.
Developer and tipster Alessandro Paluzzi reportedly made a temporary post on Friday to demonstrate the feature. A screenshot attached to the report shows a timer counting down to zero. The post, along with any comments left under it, is said to disappear once the timer runs out.
Although the feature’s banner didn’t highlight it, the publication claims that all quote posts, which are reposts with an added quote, will also disappear once the timer for the original post runs out. Notably, the company has been testing the temporary post feature for a few months now.
It is said that temporary posts will not be visible on Thread’s fediverse network. This means that if a user moves their account to Mastodon, the temporary posts will not be added. This is likely done so that Threads cannot delete a post on another platform.
While the use of such a feature may be limited, it is said that such a feature could help users create off-topic posts or posts that have a limited shelf life and cannot be understood without specific context. For example, someone doing live commentary during an Apple or Samsung event could benefit from this feature.
Currently, it is unclear when the feature will be rolled out to the wider user base. It is also unknown if users will be able to add specific time under 24 hours for the post to be automatically deleted. These details may not be revealed until after the feature is rolled out to the public.
