Flipboard has launched a new initiative called “social websites” designed to assist publishers and creators in accessing the open social web, including decentralized platforms like Bluesky and the fediverse.
This project aims to empower creators to consolidate posts from various decentralized platforms and RSS feeds into a single microsite, enabling users to browse diverse content types such as blogs, newsletters, podcasts, and commentary. It marks the first web-based extension of Flipboard’s Surf app, which was developed for the open social web.
Several publishers have partnered with Flipboard to create their own social websites. For instance, Rolling Stone has established a site focused on political coverage featuring content from its writers, while David Rushing has launched “All Net,” which aggregates posts from platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon aimed at the NBA fan community.
Users of these social websites can directly engage in conversations across multiple platforms in one unified space. Flipboard CEO Mike McCue stated that the goal is to simplify community creation, aiming for a quick setup time of approximately 15 minutes.
The Surf site is designed to avoid technical jargon, making it accessible to users unfamiliar with the terms “protocol” and “federation.” The platform allows users to view content from Mastodon, Pixelfed, and PeerTube without needing to log in to those specific services.
McCue acknowledged the frustration among publishers and creators regarding mainstream platforms and their limitations, expressing that many are eager to regain control of their audiences and relationships. He commented, “They are really done with investing in yet another audience on yet another billionaire’s platform where the discovery is totally black-boxed.”
However, Flipboard’s ability to drive traffic to publisher websites through these social websites remains uncertain, as past alternatives to Twitter have not consistently resulted in significant traffic increases. Currently, Flipboard has launched ten social websites, with the potential for any user to create their own site.
