Meta's Threads ups its game with new controls to keep trolls at bay

What you need to know

• Meta introduces new tools for reply approvals to enhance conversation control on Threads.
• Users can now filter the activity feed for meaningful replies from people they follow.
• Threads expands features with group chat support and 'ghost posts.'

Meta has been amping up efforts to give users control over conversations on Threads. It announced two new tools today (Oct.29) to help you keep the comment section clean, on track, rather than having unnecessary trolls take over your post.

First up is "reply approvals," while this will need more intervention from you, it will help keep things as civil as possible in your Threads posts. Users will not be able to choose which replies appear publicly, even before the comment gets linked to your post for the world to see. Users will see a list of comments waiting for your approval within the app, so that they show up on your Thread.

Each reply can be approved or ignored individually. For efficiency, users can also do so with all pending replies at once, whether it's designating them as acceptable or all spam. You can also toggle on or off approvals for individual posts and review replies at your own pace.

Meta is also expanding ways you can filter your activity feed. Users can now filter replies to see "people they follow" or those with mentions. This makes it easier to keep track of relevant conversations, especially for high-activity influencer or business accounts. "This way, you can surface the replies you care about most and focus on the discussions you’re interested in," the company added.

These tools make their way along with the recently announced "ghost posts" feature, which gives users the ability to designate a certain thread as a "ghost post," making it vanish within 24 hours. Meta states this is something users can use as a way to be "unfiltered" and post "fresh takes/thoughts" without "the pressure of permanence or polish."

Additionally, Threads rolled out another update that brought group chat support to the app, which allows people to engage in group chats with up to 50 people. It also provides the option to customize your chat name while it prepares invite links for more people. Messaging others on Threads now also supports photos, videos, GIFs, and stickers, as well as "smart" privacy options.