Meta Developing Text-Based Social Network App to Rival Twitter and Mastodon
Facebook's parent company Meta is reportedly developing a new standalone, text-based social network app that will rival Twitter and Mastodon.[0] According to Moneycontrol, Meta has confirmed the news and the app, codenamed P92, will be branded with Instagram's logo and allow users to log in with their Instagram credentials.[1]
The app will support the decentralized social networking protocol ActivityPub, which is what Mastodon is based on.[2] It will also be offered under Meta's existing privacy policy, with a supplemental privacy policy and terms of service specific to the app.[3] Reports suggest that the app will leverage existing Instagram data—like names, profile photos, followers, etc.For both those who sign up for the decentralized platform and those who do not.[4]
The app will include features such as tappable links in posts with previews, user bio, username, verification badges, images, and videos.[3] It will also have functionalities such as followers and likes, but it is uncertain whether commenting and messaging features will be available in the product’s first version.[3] Meta is also considering the ability to reshare content like Twitter, but only for business and creator accounts.[5]
The dev team is debating the potential of permitting the redistribution of content, akin to Twitter, but solely for business and creator accounts.[6] The MVP will incorporate a rights manager for content created by the company itself, but not content from external applications and servers.[3] As the app is decentralized, users can create their own servers and establish their own guidelines for moderating content.[4]
It is unclear when the app will be released, but the development team is currently in the early stages of development.[7] It is also worth noting that Meta launched a $12-a-month paid verification service for Facebook and Instagram back in February, and it is uncertain whether the company will be charging a fee for its badges as well.[8]
0. “Meta is working on a Twitter killer, but with a twist” AOL, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.aol.com/news/meta-working-twitter-killer-twist-081758637.html
1. “Meta working on Mastodon-like Twitter competitor that uses Instagram credentials” Times Now, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/meta-working-on-mastodon-like-twitter-competitor-that-uses-instagram-credentials-article-98536447
2. “Meta's Twitter Killer with a Twist” Global Village space, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.globalvillagespace.com/tech/metas-twitter-killer-with-a-twist/
3. “Meta working on text-based decentralized social network codenamed P92” Cointelegraph, 10 Mar. 2023, https://cointelegraph.com/news/meta-working-on-text-based-decentralized-social-network-codenamed-p92
4. “Meta Is Creating A Decentralized Twitter Alternative Reportedly Codenamed ‘P92’” Forbes, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/03/10/meta-is-working-on-a-decentralized-twitter-alternative-reportedly-codenamed-p92/
5. “Meta is building a decentralized Twitter competitor” Engadget, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.engadget.com/meta-decentralized-twitter-competitor-071316333.html
6. “Exclusive: Meta mulls a Twitter competitor codenamed ‘P92’ that will be interoperable with Mastodon” Moneycontrol, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/startup/meta-mulls-a-twitter-competitor-codenamed-p92-that-will-be-interoperable-with-mastodon-10223961.html
7. “Meta is Developing a Decentralized ‘Twitter Competitor'” Watcher Guru, 10 Mar. 2023, https://watcher.guru/news/meta-is-developing-a-decentralized-twitter-competitor
8. “Meta is building a decentralized Twitter competitor” Yahoo! Voices, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/news/meta-decentralized-twitter-competitor-071316333.html
