Meta has begun testing a new audience control feature for Threads called “Threads Friends,” which allows users to share posts with a restricted group rather than the entire platform. The experiment, currently limited to specific regions, introduces a private sharing layer similar to Instagram’s “Close Friends” and the discontinued Twitter Circle.
The “Threads Friends” test is currently active for users in Ireland, Italy, and Japan. While the feature is officially titled Threads Friends, Meta’s product design leads have acknowledged a hidden UI “Easter egg” that occasionally refers to the group as “Thriends.” Unlike Instagram’s Close Friends, which does not impose a strict low-number limit on participants, the current version of Threads Friends caps the list at 50 people.
The feature introduces specific UI elements to distinguish private interactions from public ones. When a user posts to their Friends list, the content appears in a dedicated green bubble at the top of the feed for those included in the group. These posts are visible within that specialized feed for 24 hours, mirroring the ephemeral nature of Stories, though the primary interface remains text-focused. To help users build their lists, Threads provides automated suggestions based on the followers the user engages with most frequently.
Comparison to Previous Private Sharing Models
Meta’s approach with Threads Friends suggests a more intimate focus than previous attempts at text-based micro-communities. Twitter Circle, which was retired in late 2023, allowed users to include up to 150 people in a private group. By limiting the Threads version to 50, the platform is emphasizing smaller, more active social circles.
For users on the receiving end, the green bubble serves as a filter to quickly view updates from their closest connections without wading through the main algorithmic or chronological feeds. While the list suggestions are influenced by engagement data, the user retains full control over who is added or removed from their specific Threads Friends list.
Meta has not yet provided a timeline for a broader global rollout, including availability in the United States. The company typically uses regional tests in markets like Ireland and Japan to gather feedback on UI performance and user retention before expanding new features to its primary user base.
