Subject areaData and infrastructure
Also known asReally Simple SyndicationRSS feed
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is the format a website uses to publish its updates in a standard file that software reads automatically.
Anyone interested subscribes to that file's address with a reader (the application that collects sources) and sees new content in date order, without visiting each site in turn.
The format underpins the feed (the stream of updated content) of the 2000s web. The difference from a social media feed lies in control: with an RSS feed the reader chooses the sources and the order follows publication, while on social platforms an automatic procedure decides what to show. A company offering an RSS feed of its blog therefore keeps a direct channel to its followers, and can also use it to supply newsletters and other sites.
An example
Nabaztag, the internet-connected rabbit born in France, built part of its services on RSS feeds: it received website updates and turned them into voice messages, so its owner never had to open a page.
Related entries
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Enrico Giubertoni. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: you may quote, translate and adapt this entry with the author’s name and a link, stating any changes. For commercial use, write to info@enricogiubertoni.com
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