Mike McCue, the CEO of Flipboard, is a strong believer in the fediverse – an open, decentralized social networking experience that promises to revolutionize the way we interact online. While he prefers calling it the “social web,” McCue is convinced that this new ecosystem is the future.
Flipboard has been overhauling its platform to become part of the social web, allowing users to discover and read content from across the internet in a decentralized manner. The app’s latest addition, Surf, is a browser designed to help users navigate and explore feeds created by various platforms and creators.
Surf’s concept revolves around feeds, which will replace traditional websites as the primary way people interact with online content. Users can search for feeds by topic, publisher, or creator, and share them with others who can combine and recombine them. The app aims to create a seamless experience between social media, news, video, and podcast platforms.
During testing, McCue emphasized the importance of automatically filtering feeds to provide users with a personalized experience. He also highlighted Surf’s ability to bring together disparate communities, such as those on Threads, Bluesky, and Flipboard, around shared interests.
McCue sees Surf as the solution to the fediverse’s current fragmentation issues and is optimistic about its potential to unite online ecosystems. While there are still many challenges ahead, his conviction remains unwavering, and he believes that Surf will be the key to creating a more unified social web ecosystem.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/18/24323903/flipboard-surf-fediverse-social-web-app