We spoke with a product manager at Meta to learn how the company plans to bring interoperability to Threads in the coming months. It faces both technical and cultural challenges.

Meta is treading carefully, doing a phased implementation while continuing conversations with Fediverse leaders. This will give the company more time to iron out some of the integration kinks. “Do we adapt the protocol to be able to support this?” Lambert asks. “Or do we try to do some kind of interesting, unique implementation?” For example, Threads supports audio posts, a feature not currently supported within ActivityPub, so Meta is experimenting with “federating” a text transcription of the original post instead of the audio version.

It was never a good idea federating with Threads

  • macnielEnglish
    21•10 months ago

    Fediverse leaders? Like John Mastodon?

    • FaceDeer
      4•10 months ago

      The article’s paywalled, but presumably they’re talking to active developers and people who run large instances.

      • mozz
        8•10 months ago

        I think it’s doubtful that they actually are. If they were actually reaching out to any Mastodon “leaders,” I think the leaders would be saying something about it and posting the communications.