WordPress Operator Purchases Plugin to Connect Blogs to Fediverse
Automattic, the operator of WordPress, has acquired a plugin that allows blogs to be connected to the Fediverse. According to the tech website TechCrunch, readers can follow, read, share, and comment on blogs via decentralized social networks. However, the social network must use the ActivityPub protocol. Platforms such as Facebook alternative Friendica, Twitter alternative Mastodon, and photo and video sharing service Pixelfed use this protocol, as do other decentralized services.
Recruiting Developer Matthias Pfefferle
Automattic has also recruited developer Matthias Pfefferle, who is primarily responsible for the plugin “ActivityPub for WordPress”. The first version of the plugin was released in September 2018, and is still in beta status. However, it has already been downloaded over 35,000 times.
Installation and Settings
To install the plugin, WordPress users navigate to “Plugins”, “Install” in the dashboard, then search for “ActivityPub”. They will find a username and URL on the plugin’s welcome page, which readers can use to follow the blog. Users can also set a template for the post in the settings, specify the number of images displayed in the post or insert hashtags. In addition, users should adjust their personal information in the WordPress dashboard under “Users”, as this can later be visible in the description of the Mastodon profile, for example.
Another Step into the Fediverse
This move is not the first step for Automattic into the world of the Fediverse. The company has also bought blogging service Tumblr, which will support ActivityPub in the future. Automattic is testing not only ActivityPub, but also Bluesky and the public/private key-based Nostr.
“Guaranteeing That It Stays Open-Source”
Matthias Pfefferle clarified to the WPTavern blog that the acquisition isn’t about merging the protocol with the main application, it’s about “guaranteeing that it stays open-source.”
