Shortly after adding direct messages this summer, Instagram Threads is summation support for group messages with up to 50 people. The Meta-owned X competitor, which now has more than 400 million monthly active users, is making group chats available to users worldwide starting today. It will also bring the messaging experience to users in the EU, where it was initially delayed.
Within group chats, Threads users 18 and older will be able to share text, video, GIF and emoji posts, just as they can in the public timeline.
VP of Product Management Emily Dalton Smith explained during a group chat with reporters earlier this week that, as with individual direct messages (DMs), group chats will not be encrypted. Instead, the company sees DM Threads as a way for people to connect about things they’re talking about now — like a football game or TV show they’re watching, not as a secure messaging service.
“We see messaging as a way for people to connect more deeply with the people they already have conversations with — it’s really about going deeper with people who share your interests,” Smith said on the chat as she demonstrated the new feature and answered questions about its functionality and purpose.
The changes also come as Threads’ parent Instagram refocuses its app on Reels and DMs because company found These were the features that users engaged with the most. Not surprisingly, it now makes messaging a core part of the Threads app.
Its leading competitor, X, did the same, but its focus has shifted its users to an end-to-end encrypted chat service, XChat. Security researchers said it is not as reliable as Signal.
Threads says its users will have some control over who can start group chats with them, as they can with DM. Users must follow the person to add you to the group chat, Smith said. This is more restrictive compared to how DM Threads work, as individual messages from people you don’t follow are simply directed to your Message Requests folder rather than your main inbox.
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However, individual DMs have other limitations. Links and media are also disabled in message requests, and users are limited to how many requests they can send. Additionally, users can disable message requests from unfollowers, while potential spam is further filtered into a hidden folder.
Users will also be able to give their group chats a name and later be able to invite others by sharing a link in the chat, rather than adding them individually. This could make it easier for members to connect with others in a particular Community — a newer feature for finding interest groups in the app.
Smith also pointed out that people use Threads to connect with a different set of people than they do on Instagram. For example, more than a third of those who use Threads daily follow less than half the number of people they do on Instagram, he said. The company believes this indicates that people are making more “Threads-first” connections in the app.
In addition to group chats, Messages will arrive in the EU in the coming days, giving users in that market access to both one-on-one and group chats at launch.
