Threads has started a ‘test’ that will allow users to post to other platforms, such as Mastodon, via the ActivityPub protocol. The platform has been working on supporting the ActivityPub protocol for some time.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg does not provide many details yet about the test; for example, it is not yet clear how many users can currently use the function or how exactly the function works. In addition, it does not yet appear to be possible to post Mastodon messages on Threads, for example. Zuckerberg says making Threads interoperable “gives users more choice about how they communicate and will help content reach more people.”
Instagram, of which Threads is part, has been working on ActivityPub support for the new platform for some time. Ultimately, it should be possible to, for example, take all followers of a Threads account to a Mastodon server. For this, the platform must support the open source framework ActivityPub. Instagram previously indicated that it was encountering ‘complications with the decentralized network’. As a result, the platform does not yet support the protocol. Threads is not yet available in Europe. This may happen on Thursday, December 14.