According to a recent statement by Meta shared with Reuters, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is working on a decentralized, text-based social media app that could potentially be a direct competitor to Twitter. The new social network aims to provide a separate space for creators and public figures to share timely updates about their interests. It has been confirmed that the development, codenamed “P92,” is already in progress, but no launch date has been set yet.
The company is exploring the possibility of creating a new, independent, decentralized social network, where users can share text updates, and this has been confirmed in an email statement shared with Reuters by a Meta representative. The idea behind the project is to fill the gap that Twitter seems to be leaving behind, and it’s not surprising that Meta has taken note of the opportunity, given Twitter’s recent weakness since the purchase by Elon Musk. The new decentralized platform could provide independent conditions of use on the servers and interact with other services that Meta itself has, or with those that exist in the market.
The decentralized nature of the new platform is expected to be similar to Mastodon, a social network created by a German developer that uses open-source code. The use of open-source technology will allow the public to scrutinize and inspect the software, or even use it in other applications.
If the new social network is launched, it could potentially pose a direct challenge to Elon Musk’s Twitter, which was purchased for $44 billion last year. Musk has previously expressed his desire for an open-source Twitter, and a decentralized social network from Meta could be the answer to his wish.
The person chosen to lead the new project is Adam Mosseri, who is the head of Instagram and has extensive experience in the social media market segment. Mosseri’s involvement in the project suggests that Meta is taking the development of the new social network seriously, and Twitter should be concerned about this decision.
The new social media platform’s open-source algorithm will allow the public to scrutinize and inspect its proprietary software or even use it in other applications, similar to Mastodon. It remains to be seen if this move will result in an open-source Twitter, as Mr. Musk envisions.
It is worth noting that the new social network will carry the Instagram brand, and users will be able to register and log in using their Instagram credentials. While this might not be a popular move with some users, it remains to be seen how the platform will be received once it is launched. If Meta’s plans to use Instagram as a gateway to P92 come through, the app could help propel open-source microblogging into the mainstream.
