These findings indicate that Threads engineers are exploring ad technology, but that doesn't mean Threads will debut ads anytime soon, as some suspect.
Not necessarily. I follow hashtags. Hashtags have been known to be abused by advertisers. If an advertiser uses a hashtag that I follow, it will appear in my feed. In my example, that wouldn’t be possible.
They can also appear in the “explore” section if it received sufficient engagement.
I mean they do. And I’m sure they will. But as long as you’re not using Threads they can’t be pushed into your feed.
I assume in the future there will probably be an option to “block Threads accounts except the ones that I specifically follow”.
This is how the protocol works.
You only get content from those you follow (in your home feed).
Your server’s local feed will contain all posts made by users on your server.
Your server’s global feed will contain all posts from users someone on your server follows.
Note how #3 isn’t actually a global feed. Spin up your own server at home and it will be the same as your home feed when you’re the only users.
Even if you federate with Threads, there’s simply no way for them to “inject ads” into any of these feeds.
That’s what I said
Sorry, I forgot to make it clear that the point was that your “maybe in the future…” is already the same as how it works now. No difference.
Not necessarily. I follow hashtags. Hashtags have been known to be abused by advertisers. If an advertiser uses a hashtag that I follow, it will appear in my feed. In my example, that wouldn’t be possible.
They can also appear in the “explore” section if it received sufficient engagement.