Instagram head Adam Mosseri says Threads is working on an API, despite concerns that “it'll mean a lot more publisher content and not much more creator content”

Instagram head Adam Mosseri said today that a Threads API is in the works. This will give chance to developers …

TechCrunch 2023-10-29 Ivan Mehta

Context & Ripple Effects

Threads’ API work sits alongside Mosseri’s ambition for Threads to become the default venue for public conversations online. The stated concern is that developer access could tilt the service toward publisher distribution rather than the creator participation Threads is trying to build.

That tension was already visible in Threads’ content strategy: the company was seeking more creator activity and real-time event updates, while also saying it did not intend to amplify hard news because of its risks. An API makes those priorities harder to separate in practice.

First-order effects

Developers and publishing tools gain a prospective integration path to Threads, potentially making it easier to post, measure, or manage content across services once the API is available.
Threads must define API access in a way that accommodates third parties without accelerating the publisher-heavy content mix Mosseri says he wants to avoid.

Second-order effects

Social publishing and management vendors have a reason to prepare Threads support, while publishers gain another potential distribution channel even as Threads remains cautious about news amplification.
Creator-growth efforts, including the earlier push to get creators posting more frequently, may need stronger product incentives if automated publisher workflows expand faster than native creator activity.

Third-order effects

If major social platforms keep opening APIs while tightly managing recommendation and news exposure, API access may become a distribution layer rather than a guarantee of reach.
The episode points to a durable governance problem for public-conversation platforms: interoperability can broaden participation, but it can also reshape the content supply faster than a platform’s editorial strategy can adapt.

The trend: Social platforms are increasingly treating APIs as controlled distribution infrastructure while trying to preserve a preferred mix of creator, publisher, and news content.

Discussion

@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
We're working on it. My concern is that it'll mean a lot more publisher content and not much more creator content, but it still seems like something we need to get done.
@mehtology Ivan Mehta on threads
I understand that concern but it also opens up avenues for developers to create different experiences. While the Threads engineering team has shipped fast and well, we can't realistically expect them to cater to different experiences. Plus, creators also need different tools
@crumbler Casey Newton on threads
That's great to hear! Is the alternative to a publisher-focused API more creative tools? Trying to think of what draws in creators besides news to riff on
@gaberivera Gabe Rivera on threads
Some news: @mosseri says Threads is working on an API. As the risk of stating the obvious, once this API is available, Techmeme will finally be able to post here, which means all you fabulous creators will at last be able to quote-post Techmeme!
@theromit Romit Mehta on threads
Is more “publisher content” than “creator content” in a primarily text-based app necessarily bad? No. Need more publishers publishing here and engaging with their readers, and readers having a ton of stuff to get to at any given time. Are there risks of misuse or abuse? Yes. …
@gaberivera Gabe Rivera on threads
1. Sure, but I think y'all might have the algorithmic/AI chops to manifest whatever publisher/creator mix is optimal (w.r.t. posts viewed in “For you”.) 2. Also, as @crumbler notes, news begets more creator posts! 3. Wait a second, why did I tip you off about the ease of squelc…
@reckless1280 Nilay Patel on threads
One instructive exercise is to define the terms “publisher” and “creator” and consider why platforms like Meta have such a clear preference for one vs the other
@ryanmruark Ryan Ruark on threads
I'm not a fan of charging for APIs, but I do think a one-time developer license fee of maybe $100 would dramatically reduce the garbage content problem. Professional creators and commercial publishers with legitimate distribution use cases can pony that up. …
@ipedro Pedro Marques on threads
API opens the door to fun creator things that people loved about Twitter like interactive personas, joke bots, thread summaries, etc. But also, things that added tremendous value to Twitter like automated govt. agencies like transit disruptions and what would've been useful toda…
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
“What do you think ‘success’ looks like for threads in one year?”
@devahaz Deva Hazarika on threads
I'm pretty impressed so far with Threads as a place to read a lot of high quality information, less impressed with it as a place to just shoot the shit and have fun
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
“Do you think hashtags will be important in Threads?”
@rnib @rnib on threads
Earlier today, we put the new polls feature to the test to see whether they're accessible for screen reader users. As you can tell from our video, the short answer is no. @mosseri, @zuck and the entire @threads team, why won't you put accessibility first? New features might be …
@datadrivenmd Jorge Caballero on threads
The only reason the For You tab feels surprisingly well-curated is because Threads is pulling content from the Following tab to show in the For You tab, and then imposing the For You as a default. I wrote a whole thread about the former effect that includes screenshots demonstra…
@datadrivenmd Jorge Caballero on threads
3/ Even if the data did support such thinking, the framing still leaves much to be desired. The logic implied by this clip is akin to saying that, because filters and stickers are only used by a small % of all Instagram users, the feedback of IG Creators notwithstanding, further…
@notwittyvicki @notwittyvicki on threads
Chronological would help but I still haven't found enough people to follow here that would make the tab my go to. The For You tan is surprisingly well curated in my case.
@datadrivenmd Jorge Caballero on threads
2/ Many of us have been patiently waiting for an action real-time chronological feed. We understand that it takes time to fully deliver on that, but these comments give me pause. It sends the message that, by being patient, we're generating data that product executives are usin…
@ipedro Pedro Marques on threads
Companies like Meta (and previously Twitter) have public affairs liaisons that actively work with govt officials to ensure they have what they need to be on a platform. That includes verification and preventing impersonation, but also includes listening to their needs. …
@ipedro Pedro Marques on threads
@mosseri Does your team have a strategy to encourage govt. agencies, elected officials, public services to this platform? Mayors, city councillors, police and fire departments post on X as an official comms outlet. …
@datadrivenmd Jorge Caballero on threads
🧵/ Comments re: Following tab in this clip feel dismissive in the same way comments re: news have felt dismissive. The implied logic, here: small % of people use Following tab, ergo the development effort hasn't been impactful. …
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
“What are you working on right now that's giving you energy?”
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
“How much are you going to focus on web features on threads?”
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
“How do you collect feedback when you're testing new features?”
@jasonycw1992 Jason Yu on threads
Good web app is crucial, Tweetdeck is basically the only way I use @twitter. People who post composited threads are also more likely on desktop than on mobile.
@datadrivenmd Jorge Caballero on threads
Hard to interpret this as anything other than: addressing the needs of @Threads @Creators is not high on our priority list
@w3stfa11 Gabriel Flores on threads
but that minority who use the web app might actually post more content than others (journalists). if web has better feature parity, it'll get way more usage. also, i still see questions of people who don't know Threads on web exists! see screenshot
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
✌🏼
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
This week I thought I'd try just pulling the @threads related questions from the AMA and post them here.
@playcritically.bsky.social Andrew Brown on bluesky
mobile usage is higher because you don't have any desktop support you dunce [embedded post]
@mhwilliams.bsky.social M.H. Williams on bluesky
And what are those public conversations gonna be about? — I dunno, maybe new things that are happening in their lives. In some concrete format. Wait, would that be... the news?!?! [embedded post]
@t0nin1 @t0nin1 on x
@verge Maybe abide by EU rules then so that it can be used over here
@methodistguy @methodistguy on x
@verge They're way far from that
@omarsultan Omar Sultan on x
@verge So, kinda like a town square...?
@verge @verge on threads
If the API is robust enough, it could open the platform up to new ideas, expressed through third-party apps and web experiences, about how to actually interact with Threads or view its content. It could also add features that Threads is missing right now, like lists or the abili…
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on threads
The fact that the Threads team is active on the service and adjusts the roadmap based on user input is a key reason that I have high hopes for the future of Threads.
@0xjessel @0xjessel on threads
fun fact: your first post here asking about APIs on threads caught my eye and was what got the ball rolling for it to be on the roadmap eventually. we appreciate the feedback, please keep it coming!
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on threads
We define creators as individuals, or groups of individuals, that publish original content and demonstrate some level of commercial intent. Commercial intent can be trying to make money, but it can also be advocacy or driving awareness. Examples include musicians, athletes, jou…
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on threads
That the Threads team is working on a publishing API has now been confirmed. I've been an advocate of this because a lot of the brand content people are missing on here from sports to news will only show up once there's an API. There will be an explosion of content once people …
@jayfrankesq @jayfrankesq on x
Interesting to know that it is an intentional decision to keep Instagram away from news and journalism.

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