Kate Mills 
Feb 01, 2024
Instagram Threads is set to adopt a feature similar to Twitter's Trends, according to a confirmation from Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
Responding to a user inquiry on the app, Mosseri mentioned, "We are working on surfacing trends." according to TechCrunch, this feature aims to enhance Threads' competitiveness by providing access to real-time news and information, aligning it more closely with its archrival X (formerly known as Twitter).
Previously criticised for prioritising creators and showing older posts, Threads has faced user complaints about recommending low-quality content which the company said it was fixing.
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The upcoming Trends feature could address these concerns by highlighting popular topics and discussions, offering users a new way to discover relevant and engaging conversations.
The development of Trends on Threads was reported in October when a user spotted the feature in a leaked screenshot. The leaked image showcased a numbered list of trending topics and the number of active discussions for each item. Unlike X's Trends, Threads' version did not seem to include other trending lists by topic, like News, Sports, and Entertainment raising questions about how it will be curated.
Despite user demand for Trends on Threads, potential challenges arise if Trends are algorithmically curated, as bad actors could manipulate topics or tags. The introduction of Trends adds complexity and potential risks to Threads, considering it is managed by a smaller team within the broader Meta organisation.
Adam Mosseri did not specify the launch date for Trends on Threads. A screenshot from reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi revealed a different version of Trends, which had been renamed "Today's Topics." The final look of Trends upon its public launch remains uncertain.
