Social media platform X is preparing to roll out a new feature called Starterpacks, a curated set of suggested accounts designed to help users discover people aligned with their interests. The move follows the growing popularity of a similar feature on rival network Bluesky, where user created Starter Packs have become an effective way for newcomers to quickly find communities and voices worth following.
The announcement was made by X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, who said the Elon Musk owned platform has spent months compiling lists across categories such as news, politics, fashion, technology, business, health, gaming, and memes. Unlike Bluesky’s version, which allows any user to create and share their own lists, X’s Starterpacks have been developed internally using the platform’s data on top posters across niches and countries.
According to Bier, the feature will roll out to all users in the coming weeks. While the branding may be new, the concept itself is familiar to long time users of the platform. Back when X was still Twitter, suggested user lists were a core part of onboarding, helping people follow accounts based on interests rather than personal connections, a defining shift from friend based networks like Facebook.
However, suggested lists on Twitter were not without controversy. Critics argued that inclusion on the list unfairly boosted certain accounts, prompting the company in 2010 to move from editorial curation to algorithm driven recommendations. X’s renewed approach comes as other platforms also experiment with similar tools. Meta’s Threads and the decentralized network Mastodon have both introduced or tested their own versions of curated packs, highlighting how user discovery has once again become a competitive battleground in social media.