Threads is getting group chats as messaging rolls out to the EU

Shortly thereafter Add direct messaging this summer, Instagram threads are to add Support for group messaging of up to 50 people. X’s Meta-owned competitor, which now has more than 400 million monthly active users, is making group chat available to users worldwide starting today. It will also bring its messaging experience to users in the European Union, where it was initially delayed.

Within group chats, Thread users 18 and older will be able to share text posts, videos, GIFs and emojis on public timelines.

Threads VP of Product Management Emily Dalton Smith explained during a group chat session with reporters earlier this week that, like individual direct messages (DMs), group chats will not be encrypted. Rather, the company sees Threads DMs as a way for people to connect about what they’re talking about right now — like a football game or TV show they’re watching, not as a secure messaging service.

“We see messaging as a way for people to connect more deeply with the people they’re already having conversations with — it’s really about going deeper with people who share your interests,” Smith said in the interview as he demonstrated the new feature and answered questions about its functionality and purpose.

Changes also come as the thread’s parent, Instagram Refocusing its app Reasons around reels and DMs Company found This feature was the most engaging with users. Not surprisingly, it’s now making messaging a core part of the Thread app as well.

Its top competitor, X, has done the same, but is shifting its focus to one of its users End-to-end encrypted chat service, XChat; Security researchers say it’s not as reliable as Signal.

The thread says users will have some control over who can start group chats with them, As they can with DM. Users need to follow that person to add you to the group chat, Smith says. This is more restrictive than how Thread DM works, as individual messages from people you don’t follow are only managed in your Message Requests folder, not your main inbox.

Individual DMs, however, have other restrictions. Links and media are also disabled in message requests, and users are limited in the number of requests they can send. Additionally, users can turn off message requests from people they don’t follow, while potential spam is further filtered into a hidden folder.

Users will be able to give their group chats a name and later invite others by sharing a link to the chat instead of adding them separately. It can make it easier for members to connect with others in a particular community — a New feature for finding interest groups in the app

Smith also noted that people use Threads to connect with a different set than Instagram. For example, more than a third of people who use Threads daily follow less than half as many people on Instagram, he said. The company believes this suggests that people are making more “thread-first” connections to the app.

In addition to group chats, Messaging will arrive in the EU in the next few days, giving users in these markets access to private and group chats at launch.