Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, is experimenting with a new feature that would allow users to easily share their posts from Facebook to Threads, its text-based platform that competes with X/Twitter. The feature is currently being tested on a limited basis, exclusively on iOS and excluding the EU. Users participating in the test can share both text and link posts from Facebook to Threads, offering a more seamless experience for content creators who frequently share updates across multiple platforms.
Why Meta wants to cross-post from Facebook to Threads
Meta launched Threads in 2020 as a way to challenge X/Twitter’s dominance in the microblogging space. Threads allows users to post short text messages, called threads, that can be up to 280 characters long. Users can also reply to other threads, like and share them, and follow topics and people of interest. Threads has quickly gained popularity, reaching over 100 million users in less than a year.
However, Threads has not yet achieved the same level of cultural impact and influence as X/Twitter, which has been the go-to platform for breaking news, live events, and viral moments. Meta has been trying to boost Threads’ visibility and engagement by displaying popular threads on Facebook and Instagram, and allowing users to easily reshare threads to those platforms. The cross-posting feature from Facebook to Threads is another attempt to increase the exposure and reach of Threads, and to encourage more users to join and use the platform.
How the cross-posting feature works
The cross-posting feature is similar to the existing option that lets users share their stories and reels from Instagram to Facebook simultaneously. Users who are part of the test will see a toggle button that allows them to turn on Threads cross-posting when they create a post on Facebook. If they choose to do so, their post will be automatically shared to Threads as well, with the same text and link content. However, the feature does not support image or video posts at the moment.
The feature is opt-in, meaning that users have to manually enable it for each post they want to cross-post. This is different from the previous approach that Meta used to automatically share some users’ Threads posts on Facebook, without their consent or control. That strategy was widely criticized for violating users’ privacy and preferences, as many users have different identities and audiences on Facebook and Threads. The opt-in feature gives users more choice and flexibility over what they want to share and where.
What are the benefits and challenges of the cross-posting feature
The cross-posting feature could have some benefits for both Meta and its users. For Meta, the feature could help drive more traffic and engagement to Threads, as well as increase its ad revenue and data collection. For users, the feature could save them time and effort, as they would not have to create separate posts for different platforms. It could also help them reach a wider and more diverse audience, and potentially grow their following and influence.
However, the feature also poses some challenges and risks. For one, the feature could reduce the quality and diversity of content on Threads, as users might be tempted to share generic or irrelevant posts from Facebook that do not fit the format or tone of Threads. It could also create confusion and duplication, as users might see the same posts on both platforms, or receive different reactions and responses from different communities. Moreover, the feature could raise some ethical and legal issues, such as the ownership and attribution of content, the moderation and fact-checking of information, and the compliance with different regional regulations and policies.
What are the future plans for the cross-posting feature
Meta has not announced any official plans or timelines for the cross-posting feature, as it is still in the testing phase. The company said that it is gathering feedback and data from the test users, and that it will evaluate the results before deciding whether to roll out the feature more widely or not. It is also unclear whether the feature will be expanded to include other types of posts, such as images and videos, or other platforms, such as Instagram and WhatsApp.
The cross-posting feature is part of Meta’s broader vision to create a more integrated and interconnected social media ecosystem, where users can easily access and share content across its various apps and services. However, the feature also reflects the challenges and trade-offs that Meta faces in balancing its business interests and user needs, as well as its social responsibilities and legal obligations.
