Ghost Considers Joining the Fediverse, Exploring ActivityPub Integration
Ghost, the open-source competitor to Substack’s newsletter platform, is exploring the possibility of integrating with the fediverse, a network of interconnected servers that includes platforms like Mastodon, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Flipboard, and the recently added Instagram Threads. John O’Nolan, the founder of Ghost, which operates as a nonprofit organization, shared in a post that the company is considering federating Ghost using ActivityPub, the protocol that powers the fediverse.
Gauging User Interest and Expectations
In a post on Threads, which was also shared on Mastodon via Threads’ ActivityPub integration, O’Nolan mentioned that federating his software has been the most requested feature in recent years. He expressed curiosity about how users would want this functionality to work and launched a survey to gather feedback.
The survey asks users about their usage of ActivityPub platforms, their expectations for ActivityPub functionality in Ghost, and how federation would benefit them personally. Respondents can optionally provide an email address for future input.
Image Credits: Ghost
A Shift Towards a Decentralized Web
While the survey doesn’t guarantee Ghost’s federation, it signifies the ongoing transformation of the web. The acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk highlighted the risks of relying on centralized platforms, as the platform underwent significant changes, rebranding as X with different ethics and long-term goals.
For those dissatisfied with these changes, the concept of a portable social networking identity gained appeal. On federated services like Mastodon, users can migrate their profile and followers to another server if they disagree with how their current server is managed.
Potential Implementation and Collaboration
If Ghost proceeds with federation, it could involve federating the accounts of writers who use the platform to publish content. Their posts, in addition to being published on the web and sent to newsletter subscribers, could also appear in the fediverse, where others could interact with them using their preferred apps. These interactions could potentially sync back to Ghost as comments.
This approach would resemble how WordPress federated with ActivityPub after acquiring an ActivityPub blog plug-in, allowing WordPress blogs to be followed and receive replies from fediverse users.
Renaud Chaput, the CTO of Mastodon, offered assistance with the ActivityPub integration after seeing O’Nolan’s post, which O’Nolan accepted.
Ghost’s Growing Popularity and Notable Users
Ghost has gained attention as a Substack alternative due to differing views on platform moderation. While Substack promotes free speech, it has faced criticism for allowing pro-Nazi publications, as reported by The Atlantic.
Consequently, prominent writer Casey Newton left Substack and migrated to Ghost, stating:
I’m not aware of any major U.S. consumer internet platform that does not explicitly ban praise for Nazi hate speech, much less one that welcomes them to set up shop and start selling subscriptions.
Other notable Ghost users include 404 Media, Buffer, Kickstarter, David Sirota’s The Lever, and Tangle.
Potential Impact on the Fediverse
With over 3 million installations, Ghost’s integration with the fediverse could significantly boost the network’s user base, which currently stands at around 13+ million total users, with approximately 1.5 million active monthly. This figure excludes Instagram Threads’ 130+ million monthly active users, as it is not yet fully integrated with ActivityPub.
3 Comments
Ghost joining the Fediverse? This could be a game-changer or a complete disaster, let the debates begin!
Ghost pondering a leap into the Fediverse, huh? Sparks will fly!
Looks like the Fediverse might get a little more crowded, and possibly cooler? Ghost is on the move!