Meta is exploring the fediverse as the next frontier for social media

Meta’s move into the open social web, also known as the fediverse, has left many wondering about the tech giant’s intentions. Will Meta embrace open protocols as the future, or is this just a strategic move to eventually shut down the fediverse and shift users back to its proprietary platforms?

In a recent podcast on “Flipboard Dot Social,” Meta employees working on Threads discussed the company’s involvement in the fediverse. Director of Product Management Rachel Lambert and software engineer Peter Cottle addressed concerns about Meta potentially abandoning Threads and the fediverse, leaving a disrupted ecosystem in its wake.

Lambert highlighted Meta’s other open-source efforts, suggesting that pulling out of the fediverse would come at a high cost to the company’s efforts to build trust with open-source communities. She pointed to Meta’s release of open-source products like Llama as evidence of its commitment to the space.

The conversation also touched on Meta’s potential motivations for joining the fediverse. Lambert suggested that by connecting to the fediverse, creators on Threads could “own their audiences in ways that they aren’t able to on other apps today.” This shift could allow creators to monetize their content outside of Meta’s walled garden.

Additionally, the podcast explored the possibility of Meta bringing its moderation expertise to the ActivityPub protocol, offering more nuanced tools for users to filter offensive content. This move could signal a broader strategy for Meta to monetize its moderation capabilities across the open social web.

Overall, Meta’s engagement with the fediverse raises questions about the company’s long-term goals in the space. As the tech giant navigates the open social web, its actions and decisions will have far-reaching implications for the future of online communication and content creation.