Hey Devs, happy Friday 🦥💚
As always, it's been an eventful week in the tech industry. We've got a lot to talk about! And today I want to discuss...Meta's new Instagram app Threads, and whether or not it's really decentralized.
In case you missed it, Meta (fka Facebook) has launched its Twitter competitor: an app for Instagram called Threads. Part of the promise of Threads is that it will allow users more control over their privacy and platform allegiance than Facebook and Instagram because it will eventually use a decentralized protocol.
Don't Join Threads—Make Instagram's 'Twitter Killer' Join You | WIRED
Meta’s Twitter alternative promises that it will work with decentralized platforms, giving you greater control of your data. You can hold the company to that—if you don't sign up.
wired.com
Meta is dangling an opportunity to essentially be on Threads without signing up for the platform at all. The company announced yesterday that it is planning to make Threads interoperable with other, non-Meta social networks that support a decentralized protocol already used by WordPress and 2022’s decentralization poster child, Mastodon.
This means that if Meta follows through, you’ll be able to see and interact with Threads content from other platforms and services that support the standard, which is known as ActivityPub.
Based on Meta's checkered history with data mining and privacy concerns, though, lots of privacy-minded social media users are feeling skeptical.
So, what do you think? Can a product by Meta ever truly be decentralized? And will you use it regardless? Share your thoughts in the comments and let's discuss!
Want to submit a question for discussion, or even ask for advice? Visit Sloan's Inbox! You can choose to remain anonymous.
