This update also means that Threads will remove the current swipe-to-interact feature for liking posts or seeing less of certain content. Instead, users can now tap the heart icon to like a post or use the three-dot menu and select “Not interested” to reduce similar content.
Threads is moving toward more conventional social media functions, stepping away from swipe gestures that many users found non-intuitive and rarely used. This change comes after significant user feedback asking for features like a default “Following” feed, better follower growth tools, and improved search functionality—all of which Threads has rolled out in recent weeks.
The driving force behind these updates appears to be Bluesky, the decentralized social app that has gained attention as an alternative to Twitter. The U.S. election may have been a catalyst for this shift, as Threads’ algorithmic feeds proved ineffective for real-time news updates due to their focus on engagement over timeliness and their suppression of political content. This has led more users, including journalists, to explore Bluesky, where building an audience and reaching readers is easier.
Bluesky’s “Following” feed offers an incentive for users to follow accounts, fostering a more organic community, while Threads’ algorithm-driven approach has made following less essential since it prioritizes showing users what it thinks they’ll like. Additionally, Bluesky does not suppress links or political content, appealing especially to writers and publishers seeking to drive referral traffic.
In contrast, Meta’s approach, which has been successful on Facebook and Instagram with its entertainment-centric, algorithm-driven, non-political content, does not align with what users want from Threads.