Meta Tests Threads Friends Feature in Select Regions
The new feature allows users to share posts with groups of up to 50 followers in specific countries.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Internet
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Would you use social media more often if you could share posts with smaller groups only?
Meta is currently testing a new feature called Threads Friends in Ireland, Italy, and Japan. This update enables users to share content exclusively with groups of up to 50 followers.
Why it matters
The feature seeks to refine how users interact with their social networks by allowing for more private, curated content sharing. It mirrors previous industry efforts to segment audience reach into smaller, more intimate groups.
The Threads Friends feature limits groups to 50 followers, significantly smaller than the 150-user cap once offered by Twitter Circles. Posts shared through this feature are accessible via a green bubble on the feed for 24 hours.
The players
Meta
Meta is a technology company that owns and operates various social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Twitter is a social media platform that previously launched and eventually retired a tool designed for limited-audience sharing.
The details
Users are presented with an automatically generated list of suggested followers based on their frequency of engagement, though the group list remains customizable. To view these private posts, users tap a green bubble at the top of their feed.
Timeline
October 2026: Meta began testing the Threads Friends feature.
2022: Twitter introduced its Circles feature.
2023: Twitter discontinued its Circles feature.
Last 24 hours: The window for viewing posts shared with friends.
The Tech Race
This move follows a pattern set by the 2022 launch of Twitter Circles, highlighting an industry-wide experiment with audience segmentation. It signals Meta's attempt to capture more intimate social sharing habits that previous attempts failed to sustain.
Users in Ireland, Italy, and Japan can now curate smaller groups of up to 50 followers for more private interactions. The system automates the selection process by suggesting followers based on interaction frequency, which may simplify the management of shared content.
The takeaway
Users in the test regions can utilize the new tool to keep shared posts visible for a limited 24-hour window. This shift highlights a ongoing effort to balance public reach with smaller group privacy in digital social spaces.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the Internet space.
Live Poll
Would you use social media more often if you could share posts with smaller groups only?
