Meta Integrates Threads App into New Updates

Meta has announced the addition of two new features to its Threads app — a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter) — as part of a move to gradually integrate the platform into a decentralized social network known as the fediverse.

The new features allow users to browse posts from other fediverse apps, such as Mastodon, BookWyrm, and WriteFreely, through a dedicated feed in the “Following” tab. Users can also search for accounts from within the same network directly through Threads, according to TechCrunch.

Peter Cottle, an engineer on the Threads team, explained that posts from the fediverse will appear in a separate feed accessible via a link at the top of the page and will not be automatically merged with Threads’ main content. Currently, users can only view public posts from the decentralized network without being able to interact or reply, though they can see comments from fediverse users on their own posts.

With this approach, Meta aims to turn Threads into a federated app connected to a broader network of servers and platforms operating with the ActivityPub protocol — the same protocol used by Mastodon and other decentralized alternatives. Through Threads, users can now discover content creators and bloggers across the fediverse, provided the federation feature is enabled.

Although full integration with the fediverse is still in development, Threads has already become the largest app using the ActivityPub protocol, with over 350 million monthly active users. Meta launched the app in July 2023, inspired by platforms like X, Bluesky, and Mastodon, with features focused on account discovery and post sharing across external servers.