Meta's social media platform, Threads, is undergoing a significant overhaul of its search and trending features, likely in response to the growing competition from decentralized platform Bluesky. The updates, announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, include more precise search features and an expanded trending page, allowing users to search for posts within a specific date range or from a single account.

The new search features are similar to those offered by Bluesky, which has been gaining popularity in recent weeks. Threads is also testing a new trending page in the US, which includes additional topics to follow and AI-generated summaries of what other users are talking about. These updates come on the heels of Threads' rollout of custom feeds, which allows users to pin multiple curated feeds on their homepage, a feature that has been available on Bluesky for some time.

The custom feeds feature is a significant update, as it gives users more flexibility beyond the algorithmic recommendations feed or the reverse chronological following feed. This change is likely a response to user complaints about the default home feed being filled with irrelevant content from accounts they don't follow. In contrast, Bluesky's default feed is more curated, which may be contributing to its growing popularity.

In addition to the custom feeds feature, Mosseri announced that Meta is tweaking the Threads algorithm to prioritize posts from people users do follow, a significant change to how the platform ranks content. This update aims to address the long-standing complaint that Threads' default home feed is often filled with irrelevant content. However, it remains to be seen whether this change will make Threads feel more timely, as users often log in to see posts from days ago, making the platform feel "dead."

The updates to Threads come at a time when Bluesky is experiencing explosive growth, with the platform adding a million new users each day and reaching 20 million users overall. While Bluesky's user base is still significantly smaller than Threads', its rapid growth is likely causing concern for Meta. The competition between the two platforms will be interesting to watch, as they continue to roll out new features and updates in an effort to attract and retain users.

The implications of these updates are significant, as they highlight the ongoing struggle for social media platforms to balance user experience with algorithmic recommendations. As users increasingly demand more control over their online experiences, platforms like Threads and Bluesky will need to continue to adapt and innovate to stay relevant. The competition between these platforms will ultimately benefit users, driving innovation and improvement in the social media landscape.