Threads launches direct messaging with safety restrictions
Threads introduces direct messaging and visual highlighting system as platform reaches third year milestone.
Meta announced direct messaging capabilities for its Threads platform on July 1, 2025, alongside the introduction of a new visual highlighting system designed to emphasize unique perspectives. The company positioned these features as key developments for the platform entering its third year of operation.
According to Meta's announcement, direct messaging will initially be restricted to users aged 18 and older who are either Threads followers or mutual followers from Instagram. The messaging feature addresses what Meta described as one of the most requested capabilities from the platform's user base.
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Summary
Who: Meta announced new features for its Threads social platform, affecting users aged 18 and older with existing follower connections.
What: Direct messaging capabilities and a visual highlighting system called the Threads highlighter were introduced to enhance user communication and content discovery.
When: The announcement was made on July 1, 2025, as Threads enters its third year of operation since launching in July 2023.
Where: The features are available globally on the Threads platform, which operates as part of Meta's family of applications including Facebook and Instagram.
Why: Meta implemented these features to address user requests for private communication options while maintaining safety standards, and to emphasize unique perspectives that generate meaningful conversations on the platform.
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The implementation follows Meta's existing privacy and safety infrastructure. The messaging system incorporates what Meta termed "robust privacy standards, account protections and safety infrastructure" to maintain user security. Users will be able to continue conversations privately after engaging in public discussions on the platform.
Meta revealed that more than one-third of daily Threads users with connections follow mostly different accounts on Threads compared to Instagram. This metric demonstrates what the company characterized as Threads establishing its own unique user base distinct from its parent platform Instagram.
The messaging rollout includes several planned enhancements scheduled for future release. Meta outlined message controls allowing users to determine who can send messages, including people who do not follow them on Threads or Instagram. The system will feature a dedicated message requests folder for managing unsolicited communications.
Group messaging functionality represents another planned addition to the platform. Meta indicated this feature will enable multiple users to connect around specific conversations. The company also plans to introduce inbox filters designed to help users locate and respond to priority messages more efficiently.
The Threads highlighter introduces a visual element designed to emphasize what Meta described as unique perspectives leading to thoughtful conversations. Initially, the highlighter will appear in content discovery areas and mark trending topics, with additional placements planned for future implementation.
Meta's announcement emphasized the platform's focus on supporting communities and creators while highlighting fresh perspectives. The company stated its intention to maintain Threads as a space where conversations and communities thrive as the platform progresses through its third year.
The direct messaging feature represents a significant expansion of Threads' communication capabilities beyond its original public conversation format. Meta launched Threads in July 2023 as a text-based social platform positioning itself as an alternative to Twitter, now known as X.
The platform has experienced substantial growth since its launch. Meta revealed Threads reached 100 million daily usersin December 2024, with Mark Zuckerberg providing specific details about measurement methodology. The company disclosed that Threads achieved more than 300 million monthly active users by that time.
Meta's monetization strategy for Threads has developed significantly throughout 2025. The company began testing advertisements on the platform in January, targeting the platform's 300 million monthly active users. The initial testing phase involved a limited number of advertisers extending existing Meta advertising campaigns to Threads through image-based advertisements appearing between posts.
The advertising program expanded globally in April when Meta rolled out ads to Threads for all eligible advertisers worldwide. The expansion introduced inventory filter capabilities, an artificial intelligence tool allowing advertisers to control content sensitivity levels adjacent to their advertisements.
Technical development has accelerated through API enhancements throughout 2024 and 2025. Meta opened the Threads API to all developers in June 2024, enabling integration with existing social media management tools. The company subsequently expanded API capabilities with webhooks for real-time notifications and improved media sharing features.
December 2024 brought advanced search and analytics features to the Threads API platform. These enhancements included content discovery capabilities, conversation engagement tools, and detailed metrics access for developers building integrations.
Content sharing capabilities expanded in February when Threads introduced public feed sharing. This feature enabled users to share curated topic lists through custom feeds, facilitating content discovery and community engagement.
The messaging announcement arrives as Meta's advertising business demonstrates strong performance. The company reported a 21% increase in advertising revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching $46.8 billion. Ad impressions across Meta's family of apps increased 6% year-over-year, while average price per ad rose 14%.
Meta's broader product ecosystem continues expanding with advertising innovations. The company recently introduced custom offer details to Instagram ad call-to-action buttons, allowing advertisers to showcase discounts directly within advertisements.
The safety-first approach to messaging reflects Meta's response to user protection concerns across social platforms. By limiting initial messaging to users 18 and older with existing connections, the company aims to minimize potential misuse while enabling legitimate communication between established users.
The technical infrastructure supporting messaging leverages Meta's existing systems across its platform family. This approach allows the company to implement messaging capabilities without developing entirely new safety and moderation systems, instead extending proven technologies from Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
User interface changes accompanying the messaging feature include visual modifications to support the new communication options. The messaging interface incorporates familiar design elements from Meta's other platforms while maintaining Threads' distinct visual identity focused on text-based conversations.
Content moderation for messaging will follow Meta's established Community Standards and Monetization Policies. These frameworks determine appropriate content for the platform and guide enforcement actions for policy violations. The messaging system will implement the same artificial intelligence-powered content filtering used across Meta's other applications.
The announcement positions Threads as evolving from a purely public conversation platform toward a more comprehensive social networking experience. Direct messaging enables users to develop relationships beyond public interactions, potentially increasing user engagement and time spent on the platform.
Meta's strategic focus on Threads reflects the company's broader effort to diversify beyond Facebook and Instagram. The platform represents an attempt to capture audiences seeking alternatives to existing microblogging platforms, particularly following changes and controversies affecting Twitter under Elon Musk's ownership.
Industry analysts have noted Threads' rapid user acquisition compared to other social platform launches. The platform's integration with Instagram's existing user base provided an initial distribution advantage, though Meta's metrics indicate significant differentiation in user behavior between the platforms.
The messaging feature rollout follows a measured approach prioritizing user safety over rapid feature deployment. This strategy reflects lessons learned from previous social platform launches that experienced safety and moderation challenges during early growth phases.
Timeline
- July 2023: Threads launches as Meta's text-based social platform
- June 2024: Meta opens Threads API to all developers
- October 2024: Meta expands Threads API with webhooks and media improvements
- December 2024: Threads reaches 100 million daily active users
- December 2024: Meta introduces search and analytics features to Threads API
- January 2025: Meta begins advertising test program on Threads
- February 2025: Threads expands sharing with public feed options
- April 2025: Meta rolls out ads to Threads globally
- July 1, 2025: Meta announces direct messaging and highlighting features