Meta’s Threads app introduces a brand-new Following feed, offering users an alternative way to interact with the platform. However, the following feed doesn’t always remain visible, as the app defaults back to the algorithmic ‘For You’ feed periodically.
Threads in the following feed
To access the Following feed, users can tap the home icon at the bottom of the screen or the Threads logo at the top. This feed displays posts in reverse-chronological order, allowing users to keep up with the latest updates. Conversely, the ‘For You’ feed, arranged algorithmically, has been the app’s default offering since its launch.
The Verge noticed that Threads occasionally hides the Following feed and reverts users to the For You feed upon opening the app. Meta has confirmed that the For You feed is designed to be the default experience. While users can switch to the Following feed, they have no option to set it as the default.
This decision has drawn criticism, especially from users seeking to keep up with the latest news regularly. However, Meta’s statement aligns with Instagram’s approach, where the Following feed is also deprioritized and hidden behind a nondescript arrow next to the Instagram logo.
Interestingly, this behavior echoes Elon Musk’s Twitter experiment, where the “For You” feed was set as the default in January. However, the decision was quickly reversed after user backlash.
While Meta has not indicated any immediate plans to make the Following feed the default option permanently, users may continue to hope for a more user-friendly and customizable Threads experience in the future.
