Threads free update to add "Marmite" new feature – you'll either love it or hate it

Instagram's CEO, who is also head of Threads, has announced a controversial new feature for the microblogging platform.

Online status is coming to Threads, designed to encourage real-time engagement. Thankfully, it's optional so you can turn it off.

Instagram introduced Threads back in 2023 and when it arrived, we were excited. It felt like a positive alternative to X (formerly Twitter), which was turning into a different platform to how Twitter first started.

Since its introduction, Threads has been continually improved by Meta, with new features like cross-posting between both Instagram and Facebook to the microblogging platform, and creating dedicated feeds based on search results.

Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri, has just announced another new feature though, and it might not be everyone's cup of tea. Picked up by 9to5Mac , Mosseri announced on Threads that it would be "rolling out activity status as a way to help you find others to engage with in real-time".

To show whether you are online or not, a small green dot will appear next to your profile picture and Mosseri hopes if another Thread user sees this, it will motivate chats and conversations there and then. He said: "We hope that knowing when your people are online makes it easier to have conversations."

Post by @mosseri View on Threads

How to turn your online status off on Threads

If that doesn't sound like something you're keen on, then don't worry, it will be optional, just as it is on WhatsApp and Instagram.

Mosseri said in the post: "Only people who have activity status turned on will be able to see when you’re online, and you can turn this off within your settings at any time."

As with WhatsApp and Instagram however, if you choose not to show your activity status, you won't be able to see the activity status of other users either.

Should you want to turn the Online Status functionality off, you'll first need to make sure you are running the latest version of the Threads app.

After that, head to your Threads profile and tap on the icon in the top left corner of the app, which will take you immediately to privacy settings. From here, you'll see 'Online status' under 'Mentions'. Tap on that and select your preferences: Anyone, Followers, Followers that you follow back, No One.