Since the start of 2022, the blogging platform Tumblr has hinted at its intention to connect with the fediverse, a decentralized social network that operates on the ActivityPub protocol, which is also utilized by platforms like Mastodon, Threads, and Flipboard. Now, Automattic, the company behind Tumblr, is unveiling further details regarding the timeline and methods for this integration.
The strategy for incorporating Tumblr into the broader open social web will be realized through the platform’s forthcoming transition to WordPress infrastructure.
TechCrunch received confirmation from Automattic that, upon the completion of this migration, all Tumblr users will be capable of federating their blogs via ActivityPub, similar to what is currently available to WordPress.com users.
The company also mentioned that this transition could pave the way for additional open web features, such as enabling Tumblr users to utilize custom plug-ins or themes.
In the previous summer, Automattic announced its plan to shift its extensive repository of half a billion blogs to WordPress. This move aims to simplify the development of tools and features that can function across both platforms while leveraging the open-source advancements from WordPress.org.
Although the WordPress community is currently experiencing significant changes, operating Tumblr’s backend on WordPress is expected to yield better efficiencies without altering the well-loved interface and experience familiar to Tumblr’s audience.
Automattic has refrained from providing a specific timeline for the completion of this migration, considering its vast scope, but a company representative described the current progress as “exciting.”
Tumblr users have been expressing interest in the status of the company’s integration with the open social web, which has been said to be under development since 2023. Recently, a user inquired about this topic during a Q&A session on Tumblr’s Work In Progress blog. In response, the platform confirmed that the integration with the fediverse was a “significant reason” for the migration and that it would “certainly” support existing WordPress ActivityPub plug-ins, enabling blog owners to synchronize their content and engage with the wider open social network.
Nevertheless, Automattic did not indicate whether it would contemplate integration with the AT Protocol, which drives the emerging social networking platform Bluesky, another participant in the open social web.
When specifically asked about how Bluesky could fit into these future plans, a spokesperson chose to only comment on their progress with ActivityPub.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
Fanpage:Â TechArena.au
Watch more about AI – Artificial Intelligence
