CALIFORNIA: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is reportedly testing a cross-posting feature that allows users to share content on both Facebook and Threads simultaneously.
This feature, currently in a limited iOS trial excluding the EU, mirrors the functionality already available for cross-posting from Facebook to Instagram. According to a Meta spokesperson, users can share text and link posts from Facebook to Threads.
This move will benefit content creators by simplifying the sharing process across platforms. It also reinforces Threads’ integration into Meta’s wider app ecosystem, potentially boosting Threads’ popularity if the feature expands.
Threads has previously experimented with cross-posting, which received negative feedback when posts were automatically shared on Facebook and Instagram. This sparked concerns as users often interact differently on these platforms compared to Threads. Typically, users engage with friends and family on Facebook and Instagram, reserving Threads for more public or professional discussions, akin to Twitter.
Meta addressed this concern by introducing an option for users to disable automatic sharing by default, mitigating the backlash.
In addition to cross-posting, Facebook is exploring new features, including a “Write with AI” writing assistant, showcased by a user named Grujicic on LinkedIn. This tool is designed to aid users in composing their posts.
Meta’s suite of apps already boasts a massive user base of 3.98 billion, and even a small fraction adopting the cross-posting feature could significantly enhance Thread content.
In 2021, Facebook introduced cross-posting to Instagram, building on the previous option to cross-post Stories between the two platforms. Threads launched as a competitor to Twitter and Clubhouse, rapidly gained popularity by leveraging Meta’s existing social networks.
Upon launch, Threads automatically connected new users with their Instagram contacts, propelling the platform to over 100 million users within five days and securing a notable share of the weekly active user base of other social media giants.
As per Meta’s recent quarterly report, Threads boasts over 130 million monthly active users, partly attributed to strategic promotion within the main feeds of Facebook and Instagram.
