What is ActivityPub and how does it work?
ActivityPub is an open-source protocol that enables social networks to be interoperable, creating a single social graph and content sharing system. This technology is based on open protocols and aims to give control back to users, while ensuring that the social network is bigger than any single company.
In practical terms, this means that users can follow and interact with other users on different platforms, without having to create an account on each of them. For example, a user of Mastodon (a decentralised social network based on ActivityPub) can follow and reply to messages from a user of PeerTube (a decentralised video platform also based on ActivityPub), without having to create an account on PeerTube.
The benefits of open-source for users and businesses
Using open-source technologies has a number of advantages for users and businesses. Firstly, it allows users to benefit from free, high-quality software, developed and maintained by a community of volunteers. It also gives them the opportunity to customise and enhance the software to suit their needs.
For businesses, open source offers new opportunities for growth and innovation. It allows them to benefit from the expertise and contributions of the community, while reducing their development and maintenance costs. It also gives them the opportunity to create new business models, based on collaboration and interoperability rather than competition and proprietary lock-in.
Challenges to widespread adoption of ActivityPub
Although ActivityPub has many advantages, there are still challenges to be overcome for its widespread adoption. Firstly, there is a lack of awareness and understanding among users and businesses. Many people don't know what ActivityPub is or how it works, which can slow down its adoption.
There are also technical challenges, such as identity management and content moderation. In a decentralised system, there is no central authority to manage these aspects, which can lead to security and trust issues.
Ghost CMS and ActivityPub integration: a free solution open to all
Ghost CMS is an open-source content management platform that allows users to create and manage their own blog or website. Recently, the Ghost team announced that it was in the process of integrating the ActivityPub protocol, which means that Ghost users will soon be able to follow and interact with other users on different decentralised platforms.
This integration will open up new opportunities for Ghost users, allowing them to connect to a wider ecosystem and benefit from the audience and functionality of other platforms. It will also give them the opportunity to regain control of their data and privacy, by choosing where and how they want to share their content.
source : https://activitypub.ghost.org/we-follow-you/?ref=build-log-newsletter
In conclusion, ActivityPub is a promising open-source protocol that democratises the web by enabling social networks to be interoperable and giving control back to users. Although there are still challenges to be overcome for its widespread adoption, the integration of ActivityPub by Ghost CMS is an important step in this direction, offering a free solution open to all.
