Threads introduces 'live chats' for following live events
Source: Engadget
Overview
Meta has introduced a new live chats feature to Threads, allowing users to take part in real‑time conversations about live events. Live chats can be hosted within Threads Communities—the topic‑specific spaces Meta launched last year.
How Live Chats Work
- Hosts: Select creators, Community Champions (highly engaged community members), and media personalities can host live chats.
- Participation: Once a chat is launched or scheduled, the host invites contributors and can share a public link.
- Interaction: Participants can post photos, videos, links, emoji reactions, and text messages. If a chat reaches capacity, users can still watch, react to others’ messages, and vote in polls.
- Afterward: Live chats remain viewable after they end, and joining does not require community membership.
Launch in NBAThreads Community
The feature debuts in the NBAThreads Community during the Playoffs, with hosts — Malika Andrews, Rachel Nichols, Trysta Krick, David Rushing, and Lexis Mickens. Live chats appear at the top of the community feed and can be shared in a post that may show on a user’s main Threads feed. A red ring around a host’s profile photo indicates they are live.
Future Rollout
Meta plans to expand live chats to more Communities, adding features such as co‑hosting, lock‑screen widgets, and the ability to quote and share chat messages on the feed.
Context
Since its 2023 launch, Threads has steadily added features to compete with X:
- Searchable topics (not hashtags) – Engadget
- Custom feeds – Engadget
- Communities – introduced last year
- Long‑form text posts – testing
- Web redesign with direct messages – this week
In October, Meta announced that Threads reached 150 million daily users – Engadget.