Threads, Meta’s new Twitter competitor, is still in its early stages with many users exploring the platform and figuring out what to post. Currently, the vibe on Threads is reminiscent of a corporate afterparty hosted by Wendy’s, and that’s perfectly fine! I won’t judge where you choose to share memes and spend your leisure time. Keep posting, posters. And keep lurking, lurkers. I see you.
However, it’s important to note that Threads collects a significant amount of personal information about you, similar to other Meta apps like Facebook and Instagram. If you’re not a fan of Threads, there are plenty of alternatives available for you to avoid this particular social media app.
Threads is still developing and some features you would typically expect in a social network may not be available yet. The app is likely to evolve and add more features as Meta expands the team assigned to the project. (Seriously, where’s my chronological feed?) For those trying out Threads (available on Android and Apple) and getting familiar with the app, here are a few helpful settings to get you started.
1. Mute Anyone You Find Annoying: The primary feed of posts on Threads is determined by Meta’s algorithm, so you and the Mute button are about to become best friends. While other feed options may become available in the future, here’s how to silence annoying accounts for now. When you come across a post that annoys you, tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the post and choose the Mute option. If you want to take it a step further and block accounts you don’t follow, the Block option is also available. For accounts you already follow but want to block, go to their Threads profile, tap on the three dots at the top right, and select Block. To see a full list of everyone you’ve muted on Threads, check your Privacy settings.
2. Control Who Mentions You: Protect your mentions! You have the power to decide whether people can mention your account handle in a way that leads directly to your profile. Open your Threads profile page and select the two lines at the top. Then tap Privacy and Mentions. The app allows you to choose between allowing everyone, only people you follow, or no one at all to link to your account.
3. Lock Down Those Replies: Take further control of your Threads experience by deciding who can reply to your posts. You can do this on a post-by-post basis. While crafting a new post on Threads, tap on “Anyone can reply” in the bottom left corner. This will allow you to choose if the post is open to replies from everyone, people you follow, or only the accounts you mention in the post. If your Threads profile is set to private, this option will indicate “Your followers” instead.
4. Tweak Incoming Notifications: Are you getting overwhelmed by the flood of notifications from Threads? (We understand, you’re popular!) You can manage this by going to your profile, tapping on the two lines in the top right corner, and selecting Notifications. Here, you can adjust the push notifications you receive from Threads. You have the option to pause all notifications or manage them at a more detailed level.
5. Take a Break: Setting boundaries is crucial, and social media apps are designed to keep you endlessly scrolling. If you find yourself spending too much time on the Threads app, you can take a break. Go to your profile, tap on the two lines in the top right corner, then select Account and “Take a break”. Here, you can choose how many consecutive minutes you’d like to scroll on the app before Threads nudges you to do something else for a while. The available options for break reminders are currently set at 10, 20, or 30 minute intervals.
6. Add a Link on Your Profile: Whether you’re an artist looking to showcase your portfolio or want to promote your other social media accounts, adding a clickable link to your bio on Threads is simple. Just visit your profile, select Edit profile, add the desired website to the Link section, and tap Done.