Connecting your Threads account to the Fediverse is still in beta, which means not everything is going to work as it should. This is only for people who are curious and don’t mind giving it a test spin so Meta can iron out the kinks. This is not for everybody.
You can read Meta’s information on connecting your Threads account to the Fediverse here.
If you don’t know what Mastodon is, feel free to read my post, What You Need to Know Before Joining Mastodon.
Getting Started
Since connecting to the Fediverse via Threads is in beta, you’ll need to join the beta program. If you’re not part of the Threads beta program and have an Android phone, it’s easy to join. Simply go to threads in Google Play and scroll down to Join beta. Click on it and you’ll be a part of the beta program in minutes.
Once you’ve joined the Threads beta program and want your posts available in the Fediverse, go to your profile and tap on the two lines above your profile picture, then Account, followed by Fediverse Sharing.
Threads does a good job explaining what the Fediverse is and how it works, so I suggest reading their information. Once you’ve read everyting and understand what you’re getting into, click on Turn on Sharing. Ta da, you’re connected!
What to Expect
Since connecting your Threads account to the Fediverse is still in beta, it’s not all smooth sailing from here. Your posts will show up in the Fediverse, and people outside of Threads can find and follow you.
As of this post (dated 3/27/2024), you cannot see likes and responses to your post to the Fediverese via Threads. The connection only allows you to share your posts to the Fediverse. You can still see likes and responses from Threads and respond to them on Threads.
Since I have a Mastodon account (Mastodon is already part of the Fediverse), I was able to use it to search for my Threads account (@[email protected]) and found it. My most recent post is visible, so I replied to it from my Mastodon account.
Until Threads is able to display replies and likes from the Fediverse in the app, I can at least manage my Fediverse Threads posts this way. If someone replies to one of my posts on the Fediverse, I can reply to them using my @[email protected] account. Like I said earlier, this is a beta feature, so it’s not fully functional in Threads.
Since Threads does not use a background image in their profiles, the Mastodon app will not display a background image.
Why Am I Doing This?
If I already have a Fediverse account via Mastodon, why am I connecting my Threads account to it? The goal is to have one account that utilizes the Fediverse, be it Threads or Mastodon. For me, this is a head start on getting that done. I don’t want to lose Mastodon followers, so it’s not going to happen anytime soon.
I find the concept of decentralized social media exciting. A specific social platform can offer features unique to them while allowing their users to interreact with people and companies outside of their platform via the Fediverse. And because of this, people on one social platform may not feel stuck there if they can also reach out to others using different social platforms via the Fediverse.
For this to work, more social media platforms need to come onboard. It’s not going to happen overnight, and it may not happen at all. But we won’t know that unless someone takes a chance and gives a try.
Feel free to reach out to me on Mastodon or Threads if you have questions.
