Facebook is testing a Twitter-like “threads” feature that allows users to post connected messages.
First spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra and social media strategist Valon Kerolli, the beta feature is currently being trialed among a small group of “public figures,” Facebook told TechCrunch.
Based on screenshots from Kerolli and Navarra, the social network is adding a “plus” button under the like/comment/share bar, enticing people to “add another post to create a thread.” A similar message also appears atop users’ timelines, sandwiched between the status update box and Stories.
“Now you can add another post to any previous one to create a thread,” a Facebook pop-up explains. “All posts in a thread will have the same audience as the first post.” Much like Twitter, linked messages are delineated by a thin grey line connecting profile photos. Visitors, meanwhile, can look for a “View post thread” button to see all threaded messages in one place.
Facebook did not immediately respond to PCMag’s request for comment, and was unable to confirm to TechCrunch when (or if) this test will eventually roll out to the public. Considering the maximum length of a Facebook post (about 225 tweets), it’s likely this feature would be geared toward live commentary, or used as a simpler way to update posts without editing the original.
Popularized by Twitter, threads are a series of connected posts from one person, providing additional context, updates, and characters to make an extended point. The microblogging platform last year introduced threaded replies for easier ingress to conversations—only to ditch them after less than a year. The new design, it turns out, made it more difficult to read and engage in a dialog.
