Open platforms continue to gain support as the newsletter platform Ghost recently announced plans to integrate the ActivityPub protocol by 2024. This move signifies strong backing for the fediverse, an open and interoperable network of social services that has been gaining momentum. The ActivityPub network enables users to follow and share content across different platforms, much like email's open protocol. Ghost's collaboration with Mastodon and Buttondown on ActivityPub support indicates a push towards enhancing the reading experience and enabling paid content to work seamlessly within the fediverse. This development reflects the growing significance of federation in social platforms, indicating that any new social platform without a federation focus may struggle to succeed.
Key Takeaways
- Ghost is set to integrate the ActivityPub protocol in 2024, signaling support for the fediverse.
- ActivityPub network will allow users to follow and share content across different platforms, similar to email's open protocol.
- Other platforms like Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, and Flipboard are also betting on open networks.
- Ghost is collaborating with Mastodon and Buttondown on ActivityPub support, with plans to enhance the reading experience for fediverse authors.
- The fediverse embodies the classic web's open and interoperable nature, offering room for new developments atop this foundation.
Analysis
The integration of the ActivityPub protocol by Ghost signals growing support for the fediverse, affecting social platforms such as Mastodon, Buttondown, and other open network proponents. This move reflects the rising prominence of federation in social platforms, indicating potential challenges for non-federated platforms. In the short term, this development may enhance the reading experience and streamline paid content across the fediverse but could also intensify competition. In the long term, it may facilitate the evolution of open and interoperable social services. Organizations and individuals backing open networks stand to benefit, while those reliant on closed networks may face challenges adapting to the changing landscape.
Did You Know?
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ActivityPub protocol: This is a standard protocol for social networking that enables users to follow and share content across different platforms, similar to how email allows communication across various email service providers.
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Fediverse: The fediverse refers to an open and interoperable network of social services that allows users to interact with each other across different platforms, emphasizing decentralization and user autonomy.
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Federation in social platforms: This refers to the growing significance of interconnectivity and interoperability among different social platforms, indicating that future success may hinge on the ability to integrate with other platforms rather than operating in isolation.