Meta/Instagram launched a new product called Threads today (working title project92). It adds a new interface for creating text posts and replying to them, using your Instagram account. Of note, Meta has stated that Threads plans to support ActivityPub in the future, and allow federation with ActivityPub services. If you actually look at your Threads profile page in the app your username has a threads.net tag next to it - presumably to support future federation.
Per the link, a number of fediverse communities are pledging to block any Meta-directed instances that should exist in the future. Thus instance content would not be federated to Meta instances, and Meta users would not be able to interact with instance content.
I’m curious what the opinions on this here are. I personally feel like Meta has shown time and time again that they are not very good citizens of the Internet; beyond concerns of an Eternal September triggered by federated Instagram, I worry that bringing their massive userbase to the fediverse would allow them to influence it to negative effect.
I also understand how that could be seen to go against the point of federated social media in the first place, and I’m eager to hear more opinions. What do you think?
In my experience people do try things alongside Facebook. People actually actively use things alongside Facebook, but FB kind of became like a first point of contact for people. Like me and my closest circle of friends use a different messaging platform. The last time we messaged each other on Messenger was yeeears ago. And we’re pretty active, text each other everyday. But if I meet someone new or just an acquaintance? I’m not inviting them that level of access to me. They can just be on messenger, which I check less frequently and I don’t allow notifications from on my phone. Same goes for family, I have my parents on another messaging platform, but my cousins and other extended family? Nah… The tough part is when people transition from acquaintance to really good friend. Can’t really change messaging platforms that easily. Happens less often with age, though…