Meta has started testing a new feature for Threads that closely resembles the old TweetDeck, a beloved tool by Twitter users that Elon Musk, the owner of the social network, renamed X Pro and turned into a paid service. This new feature will allow Threads users to create customizable feeds on the web that are presented in a column interface, offering a more organized and personalized experience.
“If you are part of the test, you can keep things simple with a single feed or add separate columns for your favorite searches, tags, accounts, saved posts, and notifications,” explained Meta spokesperson Seine Kim, to The Verge. In addition, these columns can be configured to “automatically update in real time“, promising a much more dynamic and tailored experience to users’ needs.
Meta has selected certain users from Threads to test this new web version experience. A screenshot shown by The Verge reveals that this interface is very similar to TweetDeck, allowing users to decide whether columns are automatically updated with the latest posts, as well as pinning columns with search results or posts from a specific user.
This addition seems to be a direct response to the complaints of many Threads users, who are forced to use the algorithmic feed “For you” every time they visit Threads on the web. Although Threads has a real-time feed, users have to bookmark the corresponding URL or manually switch every time they load Threads. The same complication arises in the mobile apps, where the Following feed is hidden behind a tap on the Threads main logo.
TweetDeck, before its acquisition by Twitter in 2011, was a very popular third-party app thanks to features such as support for multiple accounts and customizable feeds. These characteristics made it an essential tool for advanced users, journalists, and marketing professionals. However, accessing the now renamed X Pro requires a subscription to X Premium, which costs 8.47 euros per month. It seems that you can’t have nice things.
