Threads begin experimenting with ephemeral posts that disappear after 24 hours

Meta's Threads, Meta-owned Twitter rival, is experimenting with a feature that could appeal to users seeking a more ephemeral experience.

The platform is testing an option for users to set a 24-hour expiration timer on their posts and all related replies in what it describes as "a new and casual way to share."

This feature echoes the ephemeral nature of Stories on other Meta platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. It might also remind some of Twitter's Fleets, a short-form content feature that was discontinued in 2021 after failing to catch on. However, Threads is hoping to stick its own landing.

This isn't exactly Threads' first time mulling over ways to add ephemeral posts. Earlier this year, Instagram head Adam Mosseri hinted that the platform was considering an auto-archive feature, where posts would vanish after a certain period. However, Threads users in a poll generally expressed disinterest in this feature.

Meanwhile, Meta is introducing new features to help users manage their accounts. The platform recently launched Insights, an analytics tool that provides users with data on their account's performance. Additionally, Meta has indicated that the ability to schedule posts is in development.

It appears that Threads is adopting a strategy of throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Notably, the platform had experienced a decline in daily active users and time spent on the platform despite an initial surge of over 100 million users within its first week. However, recent data indicates that user activity is stabilizing, with the platform recently clinching 200 million users.

With hopes to get user interest on the platform back to an all-time high, it remains to be seen whether these feature additions can sustain its growth and attract a large and engaged user base. The introduction of new features like ephemeral posts and analytics tools could play a crucial role in its success.