It’s impossible to deny that Bluesky is having its moment. With over 21 million users and counting, the app has grown into a genuine online haven for digital wanderers tired of the chaos on other platforms. Bluesky isn’t just hosting users—it’s fostering a vibrant community of creators sharing, following, and even designing starter packs to bring more folks on board. This isn’t just a flash in the pan; it’s becoming the go-to spot for the kinds of lively, organic conversations social media was supposed to nurture all along.

Meanwhile, over at Meta, Threads—launched with much fanfare earlier this year—is watching all of this from its high perch of 275 million users. Sure, Threads has numbers on its side, but here’s the rub: people are talking about Bluesky, not Threads. Bluesky’s users are engaged, enthusiastic, and invested. Threads? Well, it’s been seen as an app with potential, but it hasn’t yet carved out a unique identity. That might explain why Threads is pivoting hard to imitate Bluesky.

This week, Threads announced a couple of big updates that clearly take inspiration from its rival, particularly in how it handles user feeds and community engagement. Let’s unpack what’s going on here—and what it means for users.

Prioritizing people you actually care about

One of the most frustrating quirks of Threads since its debut has been its insistence on showing you stuff you didn’t ask for. Like Instagram and Facebook, Threads defaulted to a “For you” feed that’s algorithmically driven, mixing posts from people you follow with a random hodgepodge of content from accounts you’ve never heard of. While this might be great for “discoverability” (a buzzword for getting more eyeballs on random posts), it’s less great if you’re just there to catch up on your friends or favorite creators.

Bluesky, on the other hand, struck gold with its simple but effective approach: give users more control over their feeds and let them decide what kind of experience they want. And Threads is finally catching on.

Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head and the de facto face of Threads, recently posted about the platform’s new adjustments:

We are rebalancing ranking to prioritize content from people you follow, which will mean less recommended content from accounts you don’t follow and more posts from the accounts you do starting today. For you creators out there, you should see unconnected reach go down and connected reach go up.

The goal here is simple: make Threads feel more personal. By emphasizing posts from accounts you follow, the app hopes to cut down on the disjointed, impersonal vibe that users often complain about when wading through its feeds. The changes are a step toward fixing what many saw as Threads’ biggest misstep—making the app feel like an endless scroll of randomness instead of a place to connect with familiar voices.

Custom feeds: a Bluesky classic

Threads didn’t stop at tweaking its algorithm. This week, it also launched custom feeds—a feature that Bluesky users know all too well. Custom feeds let you curate specific topics or follow niche communities, carving out a space tailored to your interests. Think of it like a digital clubhouse: you pick what you want to see, and the app does the rest.

Bluesky’s custom feeds have been a huge hit, allowing users to escape the noise of broader timelines and hone in on what truly matters to them. It’s no surprise that Threads is jumping on this bandwagon. After all, if a feature works, why not adopt it?

But there’s a key difference here: Bluesky’s custom feeds are deeply tied to its community-oriented ethos, where user collaboration and creativity are at the heart of the experience. For Threads, rolling out custom feeds feels more like a calculated move to draw in users who might otherwise feel adrift. It’s a smart strategy, but one that still feels reactionary.

Will these changes be enough?

The big question here is whether these changes will actually help Threads reclaim some of the narrative. Meta clearly has the resources to mimic Bluesky’s features, but can it replicate the intangibles—community, culture, and identity—that make Bluesky feel special?

One potential roadblock is Threads’ insistence on keeping the “For you” feed as the default. While Mosseri’s algorithm tweaks aim to make this feed less annoying, it’s still not giving users the control they crave. Imagine opening Threads and seeing posts from your actual friends, first and foremost, instead of whatever the algorithm thinks you’ll click on. That’s the experience users want—and one Bluesky already delivers.

The shift toward prioritizing connected engagement is also promising, though it comes with trade-offs. Creators on Threads who rely on reaching a broader audience might find their metrics taking a hit, as the app steers focus back to followers. For users, though, it’s a win: more relevant content, less noise.

The bigger picture

Ultimately, Threads’ new direction is a clear signal that it’s paying close attention to what’s working elsewhere—namely, on Bluesky. But imitation only gets you so far. Threads has a chance to carve out its niche, but it needs to go beyond copy-pasting features. To truly compete with Bluesky, it has to lean into what makes it unique, whether that’s tighter integration with Instagram or tools that cater to specific types of users.

For now, though, Threads seems content to chase Bluesky’s shadow. Whether it can step into its own spotlight remains to be seen. But if you’re a Threads user, at least things are finally moving in the right direction.