Meta has taken the next steps in its decentralized social experiment, with Threads users who are over 18, and are located in the U.S., Canada or Japan, now able to share their threads posts with ActivityPub compliant servers.

As you can see in this example, the expanded integration will now enable more Threads users to display their Threads content in other decentralized social apps and tools, including Mastodon and WordPress. Users of these services will be able to follow, like, and reply to Threads posts, without having to have a Threads account, providing more options for reach and engagement stemming from the Threads experience.

Though there are some limitations.

Aside from the regional restrictions, Threads users also won’t be able to see who liked their posts in this initial phase, nor any replies from people in the Fediverse on Threads.

Meta also notes that certain types of posts and content are not federated as yet, including:

• Posts with restricted replies
• Replies to non-federated posts
• Post with polls
• Reposts of non-federated posts

Quote posts also won’t work, as they’re not supported within ActivityPub, while posts that contain links will have a link attachment at the end of the post, in line with protocols.

So it’s fairly restrictive, but for those looking to link into the broader Fediverse, you can now enact a process that will enable broader content sharing, in line with the requirements of Threads and ActivityPub.

Eligible users will be able to toggle on “Fediverse Sharing” within their Threads settings, which will also now include a brief explainer of what the Fediverse is and how it works:

It’s the next step in Meta’s plan to link into the decentralized social media experience, which many view as the future of connection, enabling users to maintain control over their data and experience. It’s still a fairly niche consideration for now, but the idea is that the process takes control away from gatekeepers and big corporates, by diluting system management across many more servers, and essentially individuals.

Big corporates like Meta, which is seemingly a significant concern with this plan, considering that many fediverse users actually don’t want Meta taking part in the group management project.

Already, many Fediverse admins have established a pact to block any attempt by Meta to connect into the space. Which goes against the whole principle of a more open web, but at the same, these admins view Meta, and other social media incumbents, as the cause of the Fediverse push in the first place, in that Meta’s past actions in controlling user data, using that for ad targeting (and anything else), and imposing its own moderation rules, have led to the call for a more open, less corporate-controlled approach.

Meta’s been trying to find a common ground by meeting with Fediverse admins to address their concerns. But right now, opposition to Meta looms as just a big of a challenge as the technical refinements required to enable Fediverse connection from Threads in the first place.

And that’s before you even consider whether the majority of users even want these new options.

For the most part, social media users don’t update their settings, and don’t look into the technology that facilitates their connection in each app. Most people just want to download an app, fill in the required details, and get scrolling, as soon as possible, and as such, it’s not clear that Fediverse connection will appeal to the majority of users either way.

Open web advocates are passionate about the initiative, and the freedoms that it could provide, but for the vast majority, I just don’t see it holding appeal, and if they can’t get a critical mass of users across to the Fediverse space, it seems more destined to remain a fringe interest, as opposed to a transformative process.

In essence, the Fediverse doesn’t want Meta to join in, but without Meta joining, it has little chance of becoming more mainstream. And maybe that’s actually better, as it will enable more control on a limited basis, but it’s hard to see how the Fediverse becomes a thing beyond its current state.

But Meta wants to hedge its bets, and ensure it has ties to every social media experience. Including those that have been designed specifically in opposition to its business.   

I don’t know, it remains a bit of an oddity, but if the Fediverse ever does take off, Threads, at least, will be connected in.