Home » US business news » Meta could launch a social media site to rival Twitter

Meta could launch a social media site to rival Twitter

By Nithya Bose in US business news, posted June 12, 2023

Facebook parent Meta is reportedly planning to develop a text-based social network to rival Twitter.

The new platform, currently referred to as P92, aims to allow users to follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram, Meta's image-sharing app.

Additionally, it may offer the capability to import followers from decentralized platforms like Mastodon.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the development of the platform, saying: "We're exploring a standalone decentralised social network for sharing text updates.

"We believe there's an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests."

Meta's Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, revealed coding work is underway, although no specific release date has been announced.

However, speculation is that the launch could take place by the end of June.

Leaked screenshots of the new platform have surfaced online, giving an insight into its appearance.

Sources within the company have confirmed the authenticity of these images, suggesting that the layout will be familiar to Twitter users.

Meta's text-based network could pose a significant challenge to Twitter, particularly compared to alternatives like BlueSky or Mastodon.

Building a new community from scratch on a different social network is a difficult task, but Meta has a substantial advantage due to the massive user base of Instagram.

With approximately two billion users, Meta's platform could instantly surpass Twitter's estimated 300 million users if even a fraction of Instagram's user base migrates to the new platform.

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Meta acknowledges drawing inspiration from existing products, though critics argue that it often borders on imitation.

For example, features like Facebook Stories were inspired by Snapchat, and Instagram Reels resemble TikTok.

Twitter recently faced scrutiny regarding moderation practices, leading to its withdrawal from the European Union's voluntary disinformation code in May.

Under the leadership of Elon Musk, Twitter's moderation has reportedly been relaxed, leading to concerns about increased misinformation.

However, Musk claims misinformation has decreased since he assumed control in October 2022.

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