Threads & Fediverse: Open Social Web Integrations

Instagram Threads Expands Fediverse Integration with New Features

Meta’s Instagram Threads, a direct competitor to X, unveiled two new functionalities on Tuesday. These additions are part of a broader strategy to deepen integration with the open social web, commonly referred to as the fediverse.

Viewing Fediverse Content

Threads users now have the capability to view posts originating from other users within the fediverse. This is accessible through a dedicated feed, provided users have enabled fediverse sharing within their Threads settings.

Federated posts are located within the Following tab of the Threads application. However, they are presented separately from standard Threads user posts. A link at the top of the feed must be selected to access this distinct content stream.

Supported Federated Apps

Threads is able to incorporate posts from various federated applications, including Mastodon, BookWyrm, and WriteFreely, with plans to support additional services in the future.

According to Threads engineer Peter Cottle, the initial implementation displays top-level posts from the fediverse. Currently, direct replies to these posts are not supported within Threads, although users can view fediverse replies to their own content elsewhere in the app.

Fediverse User Search

Furthermore, Threads users can now search for and discover profiles belonging to individuals on the fediverse. This includes users of WordPress blogs with activated fediverse sharing, Flipboard users, and those on Mastodon, among others.

The Goal of Federation

These features are intended to enhance the experience of Threads, making it feel more aligned with a federated application. This signifies a connection to the extensive network of interconnected social media servers that constitute the decentralized open social web.

Despite not yet being fully integrated, Threads boasts over 350 million monthly active users, making it the largest application operating on the ActivityPub protocol. This protocol also powers Mastodon and other federated applications, serving as a rival to X.

Evolution of Threads

Launched in July 2023, Threads has drawn inspiration from both conventional social networks like X and those utilizing open-source protocols, such as Mastodon and Bluesky. Similar to Bluesky, Threads introduced custom feeds and Starter Packs to aid users in discovering accounts to follow.

Echoing Mastodon, Threads is now more directly linked to the fediverse, enabling connections with individuals not directly on the Threads platform.

Expanding Functionality

Since its launch, Threads has implemented features allowing users to opt-in to sharing posts on the fediverse, view replies from Mastodon users, follow profiles on other fediverse servers, and observe reciprocal follows.

In June, Threads broadened its fediverse sharing capabilities globally, with the exception of the EU, following initial releases in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Meta reports that Threads has engaged with over 75% of all fediverse servers since the introduction of fediverse sharing a year ago.

Future Integration and Portability

However, the company has not yet announced a timeline for complete fediverse integration or the introduction of account portability. Account portability would empower Threads users to transfer their accounts to alternative platforms if they disagree with Meta’s policies. This is a crucial element for open, decentralized applications, as it places control in the hands of users.

Correction: This article was updated following publication to clarify that the global expansion of Threads’ fediverse sharing in June did not include the EU.