Threads — Instagram‘s microblogging platform and a competitor to X (formerly Twitter) — is rolling out a new feature that lets users see if others are online. Similar functionality is already present on Meta’s other social media apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook, and Threads is the latest in line to add it. Like its availability on other apps, only users who have turned on this feature will be able to see the activity status of other users.
Activity Status Indicator on Threads
Threads is rolling out a new feature that lets users see if others are online. Similar functionality is already there on Meta’s other social media apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook. In a post on Threads, platform head Adam Mosseri shared the rollout of this feature on the microblogging platform. The official says it has been introduced as a “way to find others to engage with” in real-time. It was suggested that the activity indicator feature could help in engaging in conversations by knowing when others are online.
Threads turns on the feature by default on the platform. With this feature, users will be able to see the online status of others. Furthermore, it is not linked to the existing activity status indicator on Instagram, as per Threads. Both features work independently of each other; turning it off on Instagram won’t do the same on Threads, and vice versa.
Once enabled, a green dot will appear next to the user’s profile picture. This will signal that they are online. To turn it on:
- Head over to the profile section on Threads
- Select the hamburger icon from the top-right corner of the screen
- Tap on Privacy and the Online Status option
- Choose between the following options: Anyone, Followers, Followers you follow back, and No one
The feature can be turned off by following the aforementioned steps and selecting the last option.
For more information please keep reading techinnews.
