4 ms·

Why isn't Twitter using and backing ActivityPub? It sounds pretty much what Facebook has done with login with Facebook for developers. Except that the network

Why isn't Twitter using and backing ActivityPub? It sounds pretty much what Facebook has done with login with Facebook for developers. Except that the network effects aren't controlled by 1 commercial company but is an open source effort.

manigandham 7y ago
What does Twitter stand to gain from it? They’re also notorious for disabling 3rd party integrations and seem to prefer a strong walled garden.
- lowdose 7y ago
  Exactly for their notorious reputation. A lot of developers are going to change their mind about Twitter. To survive Twitter needs to innovate and become more open.
  - jsilence 7y ago
    The fact that Twitter has never made any profit and lacks a viable business model and yet is backed by "rich dudes" makes me assume that it is this vitriol inducing hate speech factory on purpose. There is no sane discourse possible on this platform and that is for a reason and not by accident. Thus I would rather see Twitter die or fade away than see it succeed.
    - majewsky 7y ago
      > Twitter has never made any profit Twitter's operating income in 2019 was +453 million $, with net income at +1.47 billion $.
      - jsilence 7y ago
        I stand corrected. What is the business model?
        majewsky 7y ago
        Same as everyone else. Targeted ads.
    - skinnymuch 7y ago
      Twitter has made up all their losses from 2010-2017 in just 2018 and 2019. They’re on pace to possibly hit $2B in profit in 2021. They are a pretty healthy, profitable company right now. Their PE ratio isn’t high for a tech company.
robobro 7y ago
How do you think Twitter makes money?
- lowdose 7y ago
  Advertisement like Facebook, but I'm arguing Twitters network effects are not as strong as Facebook.
  - DarthGhandi 7y ago
    They have paid API tiers also I believe? It's been a while since using it.
    - notatoad 7y ago
      In FY2019, they had ~3bn advertising revenue and ~465mm in "data licencing and other". https://s22.q4cdn.com/826641620/files/doc_financials/2019/q4/Q4-2019-Selected-Financials-and-Metrics.pdf https://s22.q4cdn.com/826641620/files/doc_financials/2019/q4...
zelly 7y ago
Jack said he hired a team to build a NIH version of decentralized social networking.
- dgellow 7y ago
  That’s misleading. They talked about considering the problem and creating a team to investigate solutions.They were clear about the fact that they would consider existing projects if they match their requirements.
  - lokedhs 7y ago
    And that's all we've heard about it. I think ActvityPub definitely does not match their requirements, and also, I doubt any federation system does. I'm saying this because their primary requirement is clearly to have strict control over their own^H^H^Huser's content.
- shp0ngle 7y ago
  With blockchain!
  - app4soft 7y ago
    Blockchain. 2020.[0] [0] https://xkcd.com/2267/ https://xkcd.com/2267/
shd4 7y ago
That's where Mastodon comes in.

manigandham 7y ago

What does Twitter stand to gain from it? They’re also notorious for disabling 3rd party integrations and seem to prefer a strong walled garden.

lowdose 7y ago
Exactly for their notorious reputation. A lot of developers are going to change their mind about Twitter. To survive Twitter needs to innovate and become more open.
- jsilence 7y ago
  The fact that Twitter has never made any profit and lacks a viable business model and yet is backed by "rich dudes" makes me assume that it is this vitriol inducing hate speech factory on purpose. There is no sane discourse possible on this platform and that is for a reason and not by accident. Thus I would rather see Twitter die or fade away than see it succeed.
  - majewsky 7y ago
    > Twitter has never made any profit Twitter's operating income in 2019 was +453 million $, with net income at +1.47 billion $.
    - jsilence 7y ago
      I stand corrected. What is the business model?
      - majewsky 7y ago
        Same as everyone else. Targeted ads.
  - skinnymuch 7y ago
    Twitter has made up all their losses from 2010-2017 in just 2018 and 2019. They’re on pace to possibly hit $2B in profit in 2021. They are a pretty healthy, profitable company right now. Their PE ratio isn’t high for a tech company.

robobro 7y ago

How do you think Twitter makes money?

lowdose 7y ago
Advertisement like Facebook, but I'm arguing Twitters network effects are not as strong as Facebook.
- DarthGhandi 7y ago
  They have paid API tiers also I believe? It's been a while since using it.
  - notatoad 7y ago
    In FY2019, they had ~3bn advertising revenue and ~465mm in "data licencing and other". https://s22.q4cdn.com/826641620/files/doc_financials/2019/q4/Q4-2019-Selected-Financials-and-Metrics.pdf https://s22.q4cdn.com/826641620/files/doc_financials/2019/q4...

zelly 7y ago

Jack said he hired a team to build a NIH version of decentralized social networking.

dgellow 7y ago
That’s misleading. They talked about considering the problem and creating a team to investigate solutions.They were clear about the fact that they would consider existing projects if they match their requirements.
- lokedhs 7y ago
  And that's all we've heard about it. I think ActvityPub definitely does not match their requirements, and also, I doubt any federation system does. I'm saying this because their primary requirement is clearly to have strict control over their own^H^H^Huser's content.
shp0ngle 7y ago
With blockchain!
- app4soft 7y ago
  Blockchain. 2020.[0] [0] https://xkcd.com/2267/ https://xkcd.com/2267/

shd4 7y ago

That's where Mastodon comes in.