Recently, Meta Platforms has integrated Threads with Fediverse, making its ambit vast by allowing users to share content across social media platforms conveniently, without switching from one social media platform to another.
Meta has introduced the feature in more than 100 countries for now, and users above 18, running public accounts, can now share content across many social media platforms via Fediverse.
Understanding the Fediverse
Fediverse is a set of federated social media, united and running under open-source and decentralized ActivityPub protocols. The protocols, which are rules used in building up social media platforms, allow different social networks to communicate with one another: posts on one platform could be shared on another platform.
By now, Mastodon, Threads and WordPress are the biggest platforms on Fediverse. So users can share their Threads posts on any Mastodon servers or any other federated platforms.
Benefits of Joining Fediverse on Threads
Fediverse enables users to make all their posts visible on all Fediverse platforms, increasing their public reach exponentially. For example, their Thread post may receive comments from someone on Mastodon.
Switching from one social media platform to another to access data is now redundant, for Fediverse allows access to all platforms instantaneously.
A potential drawback of using this feature is that Meta is not responsible for your data on any other server, nor can it delete it on other servers at your request.
The Future of Fediverse after Meta’s Integration
Threads and Mastodon are the largest platforms using ActivityPub protocols. They are also in the race to replace X, whose alternatives are both as well as Bluesky. Threads being the main contender to win the race might also take over Fediverse altogether. The end result might be this one, factoring in the potential future of open-source and decentralized social media.
How To Use The Feature on Threads?
Meta has conditioned users to post federated Threads in phases; in its first phase, you can still share Threads on other federated social media platforms.
Follow the steps to activate the feature:
1) Open Threads and go to your profile.
2) Click on the two lines above your profile photo.
3) Go to Settings and click on Accounts.
4) Then select Fediverse sharing.
5) Click on Next and then select Turn on sharing.
As it is its initial phase, only limited access is allowed with certain conditions. You must be running a public profile to share content across social media, and no post containing pictures, polls, and restricted replies can be shared. Also, you cannot even repost from someone across social media who has not activated the feature yet.
