Threads tests adding ‘interests’ on profiles to connect users with topical discussions | TechCrunch

Meta’s Threads has begun testing a new feature that would allow people to add their interests to their profile on the social network. Instead of only advertising to profile visitors the sort of topics you might post about, the new interests feature will also direct users to active conversations about the topic.

The company thinks this will help users more easily find discussions to join across its platform, a rival to X, even if they don’t know which people to follow across a given topic, like technology or sports.

The feature could also make Threads more appealing to newcomers who want to quickly get connected with others discussing their favorite subjects. It joins Threads’ other recent addition of custom feeds, which allows Threads users to easily build feeds around specific topics or those including certain user profiles, and share them with others.

Like the new interests feature for profiles, custom feeds are also powered by Threads’ understanding of topics.

Reached for comment, a Meta spokesperson confirmed that the feature is in testing, noting that it’s mobile only for the time being. The company said more details would be coming soon.

An example of the feature was posted to Threads by user @faslu_35 on Thursday, showing where on user profiles the interests would appear and how users would later be able to edit their list of interests from a separate screen.

Personalization features like interests and custom feeds are also ways Threads is challenging Bluesky, a social networking startup and X rival that has grown to over 32.8 million users thanks to its promises of decentralization and custom tools for managing your own feeds, algorithms, and moderation.