Meta is pushing Threads deeper into community driven social networking as the platform quietly expands one of its most important features. On Monday, the company confirmed it has more than doubled the size of its communities feature, signaling a stronger challenge to Reddit and X.
The Threads communities feature first appeared in October as an experiment. At launch, Meta introduced just over 100 topic based spaces designed to help users connect around shared interests. These early communities focused on broad categories such as basketball, books, television, K pop, and pop culture.
Now, that number has climbed past 200.
The expansion introduces a more granular approach. Instead of only general topics, Threads communities now include team specific spaces. Fans can join areas like Lakers Threads, Knicks Threads, or Spurs Threads, giving sports conversations a clearer home inside the app.
This move reflects how people actually talk online. Fans often want focused spaces rather than massive open timelines. By offering smaller, interest driven communities, Threads is betting that users will spend more time inside the app instead of heading to Reddit or X for deeper discussions.
Communities on Threads are designed to surface posts that stay on topic. When users enter a community, they see conversations related only to that interest, not a mixed feed. This structure encourages repeat visits and helps users feel like they belong to a group rather than shouting into the void.
Alongside the expansion, Threads is also testing a feature that Reddit users will instantly recognize.
Community flairs are now appearing in limited tests.
Flairs allow users to display a short label beneath their username inside a specific community. In sports communities, that label might show which team someone supports. In book related spaces, users can identify themselves as authors, readers, or critics.
This small visual detail plays a bigger role than it appears. Flairs help establish identity and credibility at a glance. They also make conversations feel more personal, which is something Threads has struggled with compared to older community driven platforms.
Meta appears to be borrowing proven ideas rather than reinventing the wheel. Reddit has used flairs for years to encourage participation and self expression. Threads adopting a similar system suggests the company is serious about turning casual scrolling into ongoing engagement.
The platform is also testing a new reward system aimed at its most active members.
Threads confirmed it is rolling out a “Champion” badge inside certain communities. These badges are reserved for a small group of users who are both highly followed and consistently active in conversations.
According to Meta, the goal is to recognize people who help keep discussions alive. Champion badge holders are users who reply often, start conversations, and attract engagement from others.
The badge acts as a signal of trust and influence. It tells other members that the person contributes meaningfully rather than simply posting for attention.
At launch, only a limited number of users will receive the Champion badge. Meta says it wants to observe how the feature affects behavior before expanding access more broadly.
This experiment reflects a larger trend across social platforms. Engagement rewards are becoming more common as companies search for ways to keep users posting without relying solely on algorithms.
Threads has grown quickly since its launch, but growth alone does not guarantee long term success.
Meta revealed earlier this year that Threads crossed 400 million users in August, less than two years after going live. That number places it among the fastest growing social platforms in history.
Daily usage is also climbing. More than 150 million people now visit Threads each day, according to the company.
Despite those numbers, Threads still faces a familiar problem. Many users sign up, browse briefly, then disappear. Communities, flairs, and badges are all designed to address that issue by giving people reasons to return.
Rather than competing directly with X on breaking news or viral discourse, Threads is leaning into interest based conversations. This strategy mirrors how Reddit built loyalty over time, with users forming habits around specific topics.
The timing of the update is also notable.
Rival platforms are dealing with their own challenges. X continues to face criticism over moderation changes and shifting product priorities. Reddit has sparked backlash over API pricing and platform governance. Bluesky, while growing, still lacks mass adoption.
Threads is positioning itself as a calmer alternative that blends mainstream reach with community structure.
Over the past year, Meta has steadily added features designed to increase retention. Direct messages arrived after long user demand. Group chats followed. Ephemeral posts were introduced to encourage more casual sharing.
The communities expansion fits neatly into that roadmap.
Instead of launching flashy features, Threads is layering small but meaningful changes. Each one nudges users toward deeper engagement rather than passive scrolling.
Meta has not shared a timeline for when flairs and Champion badges will roll out widely. For now, both remain in testing with select users and communities.
Still, the direction is clear.
Threads wants to be more than a feed. It wants to be a place where people return because their interests live there.
If Meta succeeds, the Threads communities feature could become one of the platform’s most defining elements. It may not pull users away from Reddit overnight, but it could change where everyday conversations happen.
