Instagram's Threads could be getting direct messages after all

Instagram's Threads might be getting support for direct messages sooner than we had expected following the leak of an internal Instagram document.

Instagram's top dog Adam Mosseri had previously said that Threads would not be getting a direct message feature any time soon, but a new document leaked from within the company and reported on by social network analyst Matt Navarra and Business Insider suggests that something might have changed.

While there is no indication of exactly when this new feature will come to the social network, but it's said to be "Coming Soon" according to the document. Direct messages aren't the only new feature that is on the way, though. The same document appears to have leaked the fact that trends and topics and improved search are also incoming.

This all comes against a backdrop of huge initial Threads growth following its launch but with recent drops in usage. One of the main reasons for such a drop is the fact that Instagram has now banned access via a VPN. With the European Union having prevented Instagram from launching Threads in member countries it left some people using a VPN to spoof their location to gain access. That simply isn't possible now, with those people losing access and Threads losing active users.

Instagram no doubt hopes to be able to bring Threads to its European users sooner rather than later, but for now it appears to be all about adding new features that will make the social network a better option for everyone who can access it.