Live Chats Are Now on Threads: Will They Drive META's User Engagement?

Meta Platforms rolled out Live Chats for Threads, a feature enabling real-time public group conversations (polls, countdowns, live scores, typing indicators) aimed at boosting engagement during major events. Threads has already seen a 20% increase in time spent after recommendation improvements, and Live Chats — launching with the NBAThreads Community — could further lift user activity and monetization. Meta expects Q1 2026 revenue of $53.5B–$56.5B (Zacks consensus $55.49B, ~31% YoY growth), underscoring strong top-line momentum. While competitive pressure from peers like Snap and Reddit persists, the product enhancement and AI-driven recommendations are presented as catalysts for sustained engagement and revenue expansion, supporting a positive market outlook for META.