What Is the Fediverse?

The fediverse is a global network of interconnected but independent social media servers, each with its own users, content, and rules. These servers communicate with each other, allowing users to connect and share information across the entire network. Think of it like email: just as you can send an email from Yahoo to Gmail because they use the same protocol, you can post on one social media server and have it seen by users on another. For example, a post on Threads can be visible to users on Tumblr or Flipboard.

Meta’s Threads is part of the fediverse, integrating with this network using the ActivityPub protocol. This is Meta’s first app built to be compatible with the fediverse. Users over 18 with public Threads profiles in over 100 countries can enable sharing to the fediverse. By doing this, people on other fediverse servers can search for, follow, and interact with their Threads profile and content. This feature allows users to expand their reach and connect with a broader audience without needing multiple accounts on different platforms.

Open social networking through the fediverse makes content more accessible across various servers. When you turn on sharing to the fediverse, your Threads profile and posts become accessible to users on other servers, helping you reach new people effortlessly. This connectivity fosters stronger community ties and allows for greater interaction between users on different platforms.

Moreover, open social networking enables developers to build new features and user experiences that can easily integrate with other open social networks. This accelerates innovation and experimentation, providing users with more options to expand their communities and join public discussions on topics they care about. By joining the fediverse, Meta aims to help people find their community, no matter which server they use, and contribute to a more interconnected and open social media ecosystem.