Threads Expands Fediverse Feed and Profile Search Integration
Instagram’s Threads app, Meta’s alternative to X (formerly Twitter), has taken another big step toward embracing the fediverse, the decentralized social web. In its latest update, Threads introduced two major features: a dedicated feed for federated content and the ability to search for user profiles across the fediverse. These changes align with Meta’s growing commitment to the ActivityPub protocol—the open standard that powers apps like Mastodon, WriteFreely, and others. For users wondering how Threads works with the open social web, these updates make the experience more transparent and interconnected.
Fediverse Feed Now Live on Threads
With this update, Threads users can now view posts from other fediverse users within a special section of the app. If you’ve opted into fediverse sharing on Threads, you’ll see a new link in the “Following” tab that leads to a separate feed. While these posts from federated platforms don’t appear directly alongside standard Threads content, they’re now easily accessible. This integration currently supports popular apps like Mastodon, Bookwyrm, and WriteFreely—with Meta planning to expand compatibility to more platforms soon. However, engagement remains limited: while Threads can pull in top-level posts from the fediverse, users still can’t reply directly to those posts (yet).
Fediverse Profile Search Comes to Threads
The second major update brings fediverse profile search directly to the Threads app. Users can now discover accounts across federated platforms like WordPress (with ActivityPub enabled), Mastodon, and Flipboard. This feature makes it easier for people to follow creators and conversations across multiple decentralized platforms without leaving Threads. If you're a blogger using WordPress or a content curator on Flipboard, this makes your profile more discoverable to Threads’ 350+ million active users. It's a significant move that hints at Meta’s deeper vision for federated interoperability in mainstream social apps.
Threads Moves Closer to Full Fediverse Integration
While Threads hasn’t fully federated yet, these features indicate that full integration with the ActivityPub protocol is on the horizon. Threads already stands as the largest app experimenting with this protocol, even surpassing Mastodon in monthly active users. By incorporating elements of the open social web—such as feeds and cross-platform search—Meta is positioning Threads as a bridge between traditional social networks and the decentralized web. For users and creators alike, this could mark a turning point in how we engage with social platforms: more control, more visibility, and fewer walls between communities.
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