Meta launches quote post controls for all Threads users, who can allow quotes from everyone on Threads, only the people they follow, or disable quote posts
Threads users can now exert more control over who can quote their posts. — This builds on a feature that already allows Threads users …
TechCrunchAnthony Ha
Context & Ripple Effects
Threads had already been adding user-directed feed and moderation tools, including a chronological following feed and an expansion of Hidden Words filtering. Quote controls extend that approach to a high-visibility interaction format, letting the original poster set the audience for reuse of their post.
The move matters because quote posts can broaden a conversation beyond its intended audience. Giving authors an upfront choice makes Threads’ sharing mechanics more configurable rather than uniformly open.
First-order effects
Threads users can now choose whether their posts are quotable by everyone, only accounts they follow, or nobody, directly limiting who can amplify a post through a quote.
Users concerned about unwanted attention or hostile quote-posting gain a built-in control, while accounts seeking broad distribution can leave quoting open.
Second-order effects
The feature makes moderation on Threads more dependent on per-post author settings, alongside platform-level filters such as Hidden Words controls.
Other social platforms implementing quote-post features face greater pressure to pair them with safeguards; Mastodon’s later planned quote-post safety controls reflects the same product concern.
Third-order effects
If this pattern persists, quote-posting is likely to evolve from a default sharing primitive into a permissioned interaction, with creators selecting reach versus protection case by case.
Social products may increasingly compete on granular controls over discovery, replies, and resharing—not solely on the openness of their feeds.
The trend: Social platforms are turning formerly default-public engagement features into configurable controls to balance distribution with user safety.
The ability to limit who can quote your Threads posts is now available to everyone. You can allow quotes from everyone on Threads, only the people you follow, or disable quote posts entirely. I hope this will help keep Threads a more positive place and give people more control …
I don't necessarily mind this option, but I think you should be able to limit replies *or* quotes, and not both at the same time. Sort of a “choose your ratio method” option. Do you want to be replied to humiliation, or quoted to humiliation? Choose your fighter.
In my experience features like this are always used by people with lots of followers as a way to harass people with few followers. I fundamentally disagree with limiting replies and to me it only serves the most powerful interests.
I use quotes a lot, this is interesting. It does limit the amount of negativity, but also limits any amount of exposing BS outside of using the reply section. I can see this being utilized to make propaganda with no real consequence.
I am glad smart quotes has been enabled on @threads! I believe joinmastodon is working on implementing this too, although I am not sure when it will be available.