In 2021, Twitter introduced Communities, a feature designed to foster connections among users with shared interests. However, the platform, now known as X, announced the permanent discontinuation of Communities due to its overwhelming spam issues and lack of engagement. Nikita Bier, the head of product at X, revealed that less than 0.4% of users actively participated in Communities, which accounted for approximately 80% of all spam reports, including financial scams and malware.
Despite the potential of Communities, they predominantly became channels for driving traffic to external creators rather than the intended engagement-focused platform. Bier referred to Communities as a “Temu version of subreddits,” highlighting their ineffective use compared to more successful forums such as Reddit.
Communities will officially be retired on May 6, 2026, but until that time, admin users are encouraged to transition their members to XChat, a revamped messaging service slated for more prominent use. This new feature will allow for up to 350 participants per group chat and will include “joinable” links that can be shared widely on the platform.
Bier assured users that while Communities are being terminated, X remains committed to supporting user interactions and will adopt a different strategy. The company is also launching additional tools, such as Custom Timelines for premium subscribers, allowing users to curate their own topical feeds on their Home tab based on personal engagement.
X has ramped up its product rollouts, including features like cashtags, topic mute buttons, voice notes, a new photo editor, and automatic translations, showcasing an accelerated pace of innovation. Bier indicated a consistent rhythm of introducing two to three new features weekly, suggesting that further improvements are on the horizon.
The decision to phase out Communities reflects X’s effort to streamline operations and enhance the user experience amid a crowded digital space.
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