Meta, the parent company of Facebook, will soon begin testing a system that allows users to share posts from its microblogging platform, Threads, on other social media services. This move, announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is considered significant for both Meta and the fediverse, which refers to a collection of social networks that enable the free flow of data among platforms, similar to email.
Zuckerberg expressed optimism about the interoperability of Threads, stating that it would provide users with more choices in their interactions and enable content to reach a wider audience. Previously, the fediverse primarily consisted of smaller, community-run social media platforms such as Mastodon, which operates using ActivityPub, an all-volunteer project that has been in operation since 2017 and is widely used among fediverse proponents.
By joining the fediverse and utilizing ActivityPub, Threads will significantly boost the project and become a major player within the ecosystem. Notably, other sites like WordPress.com and Flipboard already allow ActivityPub integration. Evan Prodromou, co-author of ActivityPub, expressed excitement about Threads’ involvement, stating that it is the largest commercial network to connect to the fediverse so far. However, he expects the integration process to occur gradually over the coming weeks and months.
While the fediverse currently has approximately 11 million users, mostly on Mastodon, the user base of Threads is much larger. Although Meta has not disclosed specific user numbers for Threads, Zuckerberg previously stated that the platform gained 100 million users within its first five days in July. However, recent data suggests a decline in activity since then.
Source (CNBC)
