Meta is aggressively updating its Threads Live Chats feature to sharpen its edge against X (formerly Twitter). The latest expansion introduces native translation capabilities, powerful moderation tools, and opens up hosting privileges to a much broader user base.
The update comes as Threads officially sails past 500 million monthly active users.
Key Features in the New Update
- Native Auto-Translation: To better accommodate international audiences during massive global events (like the ongoing World Cup), Threads has introduced built-in translation support. Users can automatically translate fast-moving chat messages into their own language, removing cross-border communication barriers.
- Wider Hosting Access: Previously limited to a tiny test group of creators, the ability to create and launch a public Live Chat has now been expanded to all “Community Champions”—highly active users known for driving strong engagement within their niches.
- Co-Hosting & Management: Running a frantic live chat with up to 150 active text participants is tough. To share the load, organizers can now invite up to three co-hosts to help drive the conversation and keep things moving.
- Upgraded Moderation Tools: Main hosts can now long-press any message to delete it for everyone in the room, keeping conversations civil in real time. Meta is also testing a new visual style to make the host’s messages visually pop out in a crowded stream.
How Live Chat Spaces Work
| Active Capacity | Up to 150 users can actively text, share photos, videos, and drop links. |
| Spectator Mode | Once the 150-user cap is hit, new arrivals automatically enter a read-only “spectator” view where they can still react with emojis and participate in live polls. |
| Discovery | Users can find and enter active chats directly via their main feeds, shared posts, or a live badge indicator pulsing on a host’s profile. |
