Ing. Pietro Maiorana
Meta has started testing Threads Friends in Ireland, Italy and Japan. The feature lets you build a list of up to 50 people and publish posts visible only to them. The principle is the same as Instagram's Close Friends. It matters because it pushes Threads toward more private sharing, and because Italy is among the first countries to try it.
A few terms before we get into the facts. A test is an experiment run on a small group of users, before a possible general launch. Thriends is the name Threads uses for the people on the list, a blend of Threads and friends. The feed is the sequence of posts you see when you open the app. Close friends is the Instagram feature this one derives from, a chosen circle that sees exclusive content.
How does Threads Friends work?
You choose a group of people, up to 50, and decide that certain posts will be seen only by them. Not your followers, not anyone else. Punto Informatico explains it, and Engadget confirms it.
Once the list is created, you can choose to publish only for your Threads Friends. People on the list see a label on your posts, so they know they are part of it. According to Threads, if someone on the list likes or replies, the others on the list see their username and how they interacted.
How is the list built?
The app's suggestions do most of the work. A Meta spokesperson explained that Threads proposes the followers you interact with most often. The list stays editable, and you can add or remove people.
Once it is ready, a green bubble appears at the top of the feed. Tapping it shows posts from friends shared in the last 24 hours. The app also hides an easter egg, a small detail that turns «Threads Friends» into «Thriends». It was shown by Laura Javier, product design director at Threads.
What does Twitter's Circles have to do with it?
They are the most obvious precedent. In 2022 Twitter launched Circles, private circles of up to 150 people, and about a year later shut them down. Both Punto Informatico and Engadget recall this.
Meta is therefore picking up an idea that did not work elsewhere, with a tighter limit, 50 instead of 150. Whether it succeeds depends on how much people really want to split what they say between public and private. On Threads the dynamic differs from Instagram, where stories for close friends are already a habit. If you want to see how Meta experiments with other social ideas, there is also Style Sketch.
Who can actually use it?
For now, people in Ireland, Italy and Japan. Threads specifies, however, that anyone can be added to a list, wherever they are. A American friend added by an Italian user will therefore see the restricted posts, even from the United States.
Meta has not said whether the test will expand or when, so for most American users it will be a matter for later. Other platforms are also trying to redesign access to content, as with Reddit and its mandatory login.
Limits to know
Meta has not released detailed images of the feature, only a small preview. We do not know if or when the test will be extended, nor which metrics will decide its fate. It is unclear how Italian users will receive it. The fact that friends can see other members' interactions could change the minds of those who want discretion. The picture can change quickly, as always with tests.
What changes for those working in digital
If you manage a business profile, for now little changes. A circle of 50 people is not a sales tool. It can serve for early previews to long-standing clients or for a group of collaborators, but the limit is low.
Those who handle social media, however, should remember that some content may no longer be public and may not be measurable as before. If you are looking for help with your online presence, you can find social media management for businesses. It is best to test new features with a personal account before adding them to an editorial plan.
Our take
The idea makes sense, but the story of Circles calls for caution. A private circle works if people have something to say to a few, and Threads was born as a public square. The risk is building a feature that gets used twice and then forgotten.
What convinces us is that Meta starts from automatic suggestions, because a list you have to compile by hand is the quickest way to never use it. Less convincing is the mutual visibility of interactions, which may make people uneasy. The Italian test will show whether privacy for small groups really matters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Threads Friends already available in Italy?
It is in testing, so not for everyone. Meta is trying it in Italy, Ireland and Japan. It has not said whether it will be extended or when.
How many people can I add?
Up to 50. That is a tighter limit than the 150 of Twitter's old Circles. The list can be edited at any time.
Do friends know they are on the list?
Yes. According to Threads, anyone you add sees Threads Friends on your posts and knows they are part of the list. They also see the interactions of the other members.
Can I add people from other countries?
Yes. Threads states that anyone can be added, wherever they are. Even a friend in the United States will see your restricted posts.
How do I see my friends' posts?
Tap the green bubble at the top of the feed. It shows friends' posts shared in the last 24 hours. It appears once the list is ready.
Threads Friends, what to watch in the coming months
The key question is whether Meta extends the test or withdraws it, as Twitter did. In the meantime, you can prepare.
- Try the feature with a personal profile, if it appears for you.
- Do not move important commercial communications to circles of 50 people.
- Keep a content calendar that works even without last-minute news, perhaps with a social media management platform.
Sources
- Social Media Today, Threads tests smaller group sharing option
- Punto Informatico, Threads Friends in Italia
- Engadget, Meta is testing Threads Friends
