Meta is testing a new feature that will allow Threads users to see what types of conversations are trending on the platform. The app has started testing “top trending topics” in the United States, Mark Zuckerberg explained in on the discussions.
The feature will surface “hot topics that others are discussing” and appear in search and interspersed between posts in the app's For You feed, according to Meta. Specific trends will be “determined by our AI systems based on what people are currently interacting with on Threads,” Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram. said.
Interestingly, discussions will highlight trends related to politics and elections. The company said last week that it would no longer suggest in its recommendations, unless users choose to opt-in. But Meta confirmed that this restriction would not apply to its trends feature. “Political content can be a topic,” a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. “We will only remove political topics if they violate our community guidelines or other applicable integrity policies.”
Adding trends is a long-requested update by many Threads users in hopes of making the service more usable as a source of real-time news and updates. The feature has already been spotted in a of the app, but it was unclear whether Meta would roll it out more widely given Mosseri's advice. to avoid “uplifting” conversations about “politics and difficult news.”
Although the AI determines much of what appears, it appears that Meta plans to make a selection of what appears as a “main topic.” A team of “content specialists” will “ensure that topics do not violate our community guidelines or other applicable integrity guidelines, and that topics are not duplicated, absurd or misleading,” a spokesperson said. word of Meta.
For now, “Today's Top Topics” is just a “small test,” but Zuckerberg said the feature would come to more countries and languages ”once we roll it out.” point”.