Kate Mills 
Mar 20, 2024
Instagram's Threads, a Twitter-like platform, is set to unveil its "trending now" attribute across all users in the US. This official launch comes on the heels of a month-long testing phase involving a select group of users nationwide.
Trending discussions will now be accessible both on the search page and within the app's personalised "For You Feed."
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, revealed the rollout in a Threads post, emphasising its role as "an effortless means to tap into ongoing conversations within Threads."
This addition of trending topics aligns Threads more closely with its counterparts, providing users with timely discussions happening across the social network. Previously lacking a real-time community feel, Threads aims to address this gap by showcasing what's currently buzzing beyond individual feeds.
According to Meta, the parent company of Instagram, the selection of trending topics relies on its AI systems, factoring in metrics such as engagement levels and the volume of discussions. However, Threads limits the display to just five trending topics at a time, a contrast to platforms like Twitter that showcase more.
While Meta has asserted that Threads won't actively promote political content, it's noteworthy that many trending topics often veer into political territory. During recent events such as President Biden's State of the Union address, political discourse dominated Threads' trending topics. Despite Meta's broader efforts to distance itself from politics on its platforms, Threads remains open to political discussions in its trending feature.
It's yet to be seen whether future adjustments might be made regarding the inclusion or handling of political content within Threads' trends.
