Home » US business news » Meta to roll out Twitter rival as Elon Musk turmoil continues

Meta to roll out Twitter rival as Elon Musk turmoil continues

By Nithya Bose in US business news, posted July 4, 2023

Meta is set to launch a new app called Threads, aimed at competing with Twitter.

The app recently appeared in Apple's App Store, allowing users to sign up for download when it becomes available on Thursday.

Threads seem to function similarly to Twitter, emphasizing public conversations and enabling users to follow people they already do on Instagram.

Some have referred to the upcoming app as a potential "Twitter killer."

Mark Zuckerberg's move comes at a time when Twitter is experiencing fresh turmoil under the ownership of Elon Musk.

Musk has made several changes to the platform, including altering the algorithm that determines post visibility, removing content moderation rules, and revamping the user verification process.

Over the weekend, Musk also imposed limits on the number of tweets users could read, citing concerns about data scraping by other companies.

These developments have frustrated many Twitter users.

Meta's executives have been discussing how to capitalize on the chaos at Twitter for some time, even considering the creation of a rival service.

The result is Threads, a project from Instagram and internally known as Project 92.

Users can log into Threads using their Instagram accounts, according to previews displayed in the App Store.

Meta executives have characterized the app as a more stable and controlled version of a public social network, subtly taking a jab at Musk's erratic behavior.

Meta faces its own challenges in transitioning toward the metaverse and addressing questions about its artificial intelligence capabilities.

But it remains the most significant competitor to Twitter with its massive user base.

Other platforms attempting to exploit Twitter's vulnerabilities, such as Tumblr, Nostr, Spill, Mastodon, and Bluesky, are considerably smaller in comparison.

Despite Facebook's decline, its large user base increases the likelihood of its copycat apps succeeding at the expense of Twitter, according to industry experts.

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Facebook and Twitter have been competing for real-time online conversations for years. Although Zuckerberg attempted to purchase Twitter in its early days, the offer was rejected.

Facebook later tried to feature live products and trending topics during political events and on television.

Zuckerberg has also focused on live-streaming videos and trending hashtags across Facebook and Instagram.

In a separate development, Zuckerberg and Musk are reportedly discussing engaging in a mixed martial arts match, although no date has yet been set.

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