Meta/Instagram launched a new product called Threads today (working title project92). It adds a new interface for creating text posts and replying to them, using your Instagram account. Of note, Meta has stated that Threads plans to support ActivityPub in the future, and allow federation with ActivityPub services. If you actually look at your Threads profile page in the app your username has a threads.net tag next to it - presumably to support future federation.
Per the link, a number of fediverse communities are pledging to block any Meta-directed instances that should exist in the future. Thus instance content would not be federated to Meta instances, and Meta users would not be able to interact with instance content.
I’m curious what the opinions on this here are. I personally feel like Meta has shown time and time again that they are not very good citizens of the Internet; beyond concerns of an Eternal September triggered by federated Instagram, I worry that bringing their massive userbase to the fediverse would allow them to influence it to negative effect.
I also understand how that could be seen to go against the point of federated social media in the first place, and I’m eager to hear more opinions. What do you think?
Meta having billions of people gives Meta the evil ability to scrape and steal all their personal info. Zuck even called them “stupid fucks”.
Communities don’t need to reach billions. They just need to be honest and central for the topics people wish to discuss.
Meta doesn’t allow that - they use the feed and algos to push agendas, run psych experiments on children, redline real estate ads, and psyop for political gains.
I can’t understand trying to foster an actual community and joining it to Meta. They have just proven themselves to be bad actors too many times. Why should anybody trust them now?