Meta blocks users from hiding its AI on Threads
▼ Summary
– Meta is testing a Threads feature allowing users to tag a Meta AI account for answers or conversation context, similar to tagging xAI’s Grok on X.
– Users discovered they cannot block the Meta AI account, sparking dissatisfaction.
– Meta has invested billions in AI talent, launched the Muse Spark AI model in April, and is now integrating it into Threads.
– The test is initially available in Argentina, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, with a pinned video showing example queries like “why is everyone obsessed with matcha.”
– Meta spokesperson Christine Pai says users can mute, hide, or mark Meta AI replies as “Not interested” to manage the experience during the test.
Meta has quietly rolled out a test of a new Threads feature that allows users to tag a Meta AI account for real-time answers and contextual insights during conversations. While the function mirrors what users do when tagging xAI’s Grok on X, the rollout has sparked immediate backlash. The reason? Threads users quickly realized they cannot block the Meta AI account, and they are making their frustration known.
The company announced the test on Tuesday, positioning it as a way to get quick answers to questions like “why is everyone obsessed with matcha” or “how do you actually pronounce ‘Cannes’?” A pinned video demonstrates the feature, which is initially available in Argentina, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. But when users navigate to the three-dot menu on the Meta AI profile, the familiar block option is conspicuously absent , a feature present on nearly every other account on the platform.
Meta has been pouring billions into AI development in a bid to close the gap with competitors like OpenAI and Google. The company recently unveiled a new AI model called Muse Spark in April, promising to integrate it across its apps and services. Now, that push is arriving on Threads in the form of this new Meta AI account. However, the inability to block it has raised concerns about user control and platform transparency.
“Users can manage their Meta AI experience during the test,” Meta spokesperson Christine Pai told The Verge. “We want to give people a way to quickly gather context before jumping into the conversation, but if you want to see fewer Meta AI replies in your Threads feed you can mute or hide Meta AI replies, or use the ‘Not interested’ option on any Meta AI post.”
For now, the workaround involves muting or hiding the AI’s responses, but critics argue that blocking should remain a fundamental user right, not a feature reserved for human accounts. As the test expands, Meta may face growing pressure to restore that option , or risk alienating the very community it hopes to engage.
(Source: The Verge)