Flipboard Enters Decentralized Social Media with 'Social Websites'

Flipboard, known for its social news reading app, is launching a new project called “social websites.” This initiative aims to simplify access to the “open social web,” encompassing the fediverse and protocol-based platforms such as Blueksy.

Bridging the Gap Between Platforms

Flipboard’s “social websites” allow creators and publishers to consolidate posts from decentralized platforms and RSS feeds into a single, browsable space. Users can view blog posts, newsletters, and podcast episodes alongside commentary from Bluesky, Mastodon, and other federated services.

Surf: The Foundation of 'Social Websites'

This is the first web-based extension of Surf, Flipboard’s underlying technology. The company has partnered with several publishers and creators to build their own “social websites” using Surf. One example is “All Net,” inspired by the NBA fan community on Threads.

All Net: A Unified NBA Fan Experience

“All Net” features posts from Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon, combined with clips from NBA podcasters and creators on YouTube. Fans can follow feeds and participate in conversations across different platforms in one location.

Simplifying Access to the Fediverse

“The social web is really promising and really awesome, but it is kind of complex and it’s hard to use,” Flipboard CEO Mike McCue tells Engadget. “What we’re trying to do is actually make it like in 15 minutes you can make one of these communities.” The Surf website intentionally avoids technical jargon like “protocol” and “federation.”

Empowering Creators and Publishers

According to McCue, publishers are increasingly frustrated with relying on large social media platforms. “They are really done with investing in yet another audience on yet another billionaire’s platform where the discovery is totally black-boxed,” he stated. Creators and publishers are seeking ways to regain control over their communities and audience relationships.

Future Outlook and Current Availability

While the potential for increased traffic to publishers remains to be seen, Flipboard currently hosts ten “social websites” from various publishers. The site is now open to anyone who wants to experiment and create their own.