Threads app is not for news and politics: Adam Mosseri, Instagram CEO
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has made headlines with his recent statement about the Threads app. In a conversation with The Verge, Mosseri revealed that Threads is intentionally designed to avoid news and politics. According to Mosseri, including such content invites excessive scrutiny, negativity and compromises the app's integrity. This surprising position has aroused interest and discussion among users and observers.
According to the Instagram CEO, the Threads app will not actively support or prioritize important news and politics. Mosseri emphasizes that Instagram already hosts thriving communities focused on sports, music, fashion, beauty, and entertainment, which do not require engagement with political or news-related content.
Mosseri's viewpoint was likely shaped by his previous role overseeing Facebook News Feed. By distancing Threads from politics and big news, Mosseri intends to keep the app's focus on other vibrant interests and preserve a positive user experience.
Meta, Instagram's parent company, has recently tried to distance itself from news and politics and address concerns about promoting controversial content. One of these measures includes reducing the visibility of political content on Facebook and even changing the name of Facebook Feed to exclude the term "News".
Additionally, in response to a new Canadian law requiring payment for local news, Meta announced its intention to remove news from both Facebook and Instagram in the country. These actions demonstrate Meta's commitment to reassess its role in disseminating news and political information and its willingness to make significant changes to align with evolving regulations and user expectations.
After his initial statement, Adam Mosseri further clarified his stance on Threads. He explained that Threads will not actively discourage or minimize news and politics but will not actively prioritize or search for such content as Facebook has previously done. Mosseri acknowledged that Facebook had made hasty promises to the industry in the early 2010s and expressed his desire to avoid repeating those mistakes.
While Threads may be seen as Instagram's answer to Twitter, Mosseri has bigger ambitions. Aligned with the vision set out by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of reaching a billion users, Mosseri aims to create a public square within Instagram. This public square would cater to communities that may not be attracted to Twitter and provide a more positive space for conversations, attracting users of Twitter and other platforms seeking a more constructive and uplifting environment.