The new "use media" feature of Threads is its latest effort to combat meme theft and gain interactions.
Soon, Threads will launch a feature that will allow users to reshare photos and videos on their timelines, ensuring that credit is given to the person who originally posted them. However...
Meta is introducing a new feature in its Threads application that will allow users to re-share photos and videos to their profiles, giving credit to the original author, though without linking to the original post. When this option is activated, users will be able to long-press on an image or video in their feed and select the “use media” option. They will then have the opportunity to draft a new post with the image or video alongside a watermark indicating who the original author was, as shared by Adam Mosseri, head of Threads.
This feature appears to be designed to make it easier for users to share the work of others while recognizing the original creator. Mosseri has received numerous complaints on Threads from users frustrated by seeing their content used without permission or acknowledgment. In a recent post, he mentioned that Meta is trying to “redirect more distribution from aggregators to creators on both Instagram and Threads,” though he admitted that this can be “very difficult” when the original content comes from non-Meta platforms. Recently, the company also adjusted its algorithm on Instagram with the aim of favoring creators over aggregators.
However, despite this update, many creators continue to express their dissatisfaction with how Meta is handling the situation. One of the photographers involved commented that it seems like a clear appropriation of content, while another user noted that citing the original post is a more effective way to share someone’s content, adding commentary while giving proper credit.
On the other hand, Meta has stated that individual creators can disable the reuse of their content in the app settings, allowing them to block their posts from being shared in this way. There are also settings to prevent others from quoting their posts entirely. Nevertheless, for those who are concerned about their posts being completely copied to generate engagement, there is still little that can be done to prevent less ethical accounts from using screenshots or other methods to replicate their content.
