Threads launches 'Ghost Posts' that disappear after 24 hours

Meta's Threads app is rolling out a disappearing posts feature called "ghost posts" that automatically archives content after 24 hours, allowing its over 400 million monthly users to share spontaneous thoughts without permanent consequences.

The feature, launching globally now, lets users toggle a ghost icon when composing posts on mobile devices. These posts appear in followers' feeds with a distinctive grayed-out chat bubble, signaling their temporary nature.Unlike standard posts, ghost posts function differently for engagement. When users reply to a ghost post, their responses go directly to the original poster's direct message inbox rather than appearing publicly in the thread.

While engagement metrics like likes and replies are visible through smiley-faced icons, only the original poster can see actual numbers and identify who engaged.

Meta says feature designed to encourage authentic, spontaneous sharing

After the 24-hour window expires, ghost posts disappear from public view but remain accessible to creators through an archived section in the settings menu. This differs from true disappearing messages, as users can unarchive posts whenever desired.

Meta says the feature aims to encourage "authentic, spontaneous expression" and low-stakes sharing on the platform. The company believes users will feel more comfortable posting unfiltered thoughts, live-threading events, or experimenting with content when they know it won't permanently remain on their profile.The launch comes as Threads continues rapid feature development since its debut in 2023, adding 10,000-character text attachments, spoiler-hiding tools, and interest-based communities over the last two years. The disappearing posts concept echoes Twitter's failed Fleets experiment from 2020-2021, though Meta remains optimistic given the success of disappearing Stories on Instagram and Facebook.