A federated internet is forming. It’s built on open protocols like ActivityPub & connects services like Mastodon, Threads, Pixelfed, Tumblr, Wordpress and more into a connected network known as the fediverse. And everyone from tech enthusiasts to Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey seem to want in.
This is a distinction with little difference, which is convenient for them, because they can say well ackchyually we’re not stopping you from self-hosting
when in practical terms they are.