X is introducing a new feature called “Starterpacks” to help users discover accounts, directly emulating Bluesky’s “Starter Packs” functionality as confirmed by Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, on Wednesday.
The “Starterpacks” feature aims to assist users in finding accounts aligned with various interests. Categories include News, Politics, Fashion, Technology, Business & Finance, Health & Fitness, Gaming, Stocks, and Memes.
X’s implementation differs from Bluesky’s in creation methodology. Bluesky allows any user to create and share Starter Packs, while X developed its lists internally.
Bier stated on X that the company “scoured the world for the top posters in every niche and country” over several months to compile these lists. This indicates X’s Starterpacks derive from the platform’s internal data rather than individual user recommendations.
The Starterpacks are scheduled for rollout to all X users in the “coming weeks.”
Suggested user lists have been present on the platform since its early days as Twitter. Initially, these lists assisted users in connecting with individuals sharing similar interests, distinguishing Twitter from platforms like Facebook where connections often focused on existing friendships.
This original suggested user system generated controversy due to its impact on user popularity and follower growth for those included. In 2010, Twitter revised this editorially curated list to one driven by algorithms.
X is not the sole platform to integrate similar features inspired by Bluesky. Meta’s Threads began testing its iteration of curated lists, also created by individual users, in December 2024. These suggested user collections appeared during Threads’ user sign-up process and within the For You feed. The decentralized social network Mastodon has also been developing “Packs” for user onboarding assistance.
