Meta launches 'ghost posts' that disappear after 24 hours on Threads

Social media giant Meta launched on Monday posts that are automatically archived 24 hours after being uploaded, dubbed "ghost posts," on its Threads app, mimicking a popular feature available on its other platforms.

The feature is aimed at boosting usage, expanding options for users to share posts on the app, similar to the widely used "stories" employed across Meta's Instagram and Facebook.

Any replies to ghost posts will be sent to users' messaging inboxes, not allowing other users to see who has liked and replied.

"You can share unfiltered thoughts and fresh takes without the pressure of permanence or polish," Meta said.

Users can create this type of post by toggling the ghost icon in the post creation menu, and the posts will appear as a grayed-out dotted chat bubble in their feed to distinguish them from regular posts.

Threads was launched in 2023 as a competitor to Elon Musk's X. As of August, Threads had 400 million active users.