Meta reveals Twitter rival, says it will be ‘sanely run’
Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has announced plans to launch a standalone app code-named Project 92, in a direct response to Twitter. Rumoured to be called Threads upon its release, the app will be launched via Instagram. During an internal meeting, Meta’s chief product officer Chris Cox said that the forthcoming app would provide “a stable place to build and grow their audiences” with a focus on “safety, ease of use and reliability”. Project 92 will integrate with the ActivityPub social networking protocol and make use of Instagram’s account system, opening up the possibility of a more interconnected platform. The app could benefit from Instagram’s 1 billion+ users compared to Twitter’s 360 million, while Twitter has continued to experience controversial changes since being taken over by CEO Elon Musk.
FAQs
What is Project 92?
Project 92 is a standalone app planned by Facebook’s parent company Meta. It will be launched via Instagram and is intended to rival Twitter.
What will the app offer?
Meta has promised that the app will provide “a stable place to build and grow audiences”. The focus will be on “safety, ease of use and reliability”.
What is ActivityPub?
ActivityPub is an open standard for social networking, allowing users to create and follow content across platforms and services.
How could Project 92 surpass Twitter?
As it will be integrated with Instagram, the app will have access to a much larger user base – over 1 billion – than Twitter’s 360 million users.
What have been Twitter’s recent issues?
Since CEO Elon Musk took over, Twitter has faced controversy including cutting the workforce and changing the formerly free blue tick verification service to one where users pay a monthly fee. Advertiser revenues are also reported to have dramatically declined.
Meta Unveils New Twitter Competitor with a Promise of ‘Sane’ Management
During a company-wide meeting on Thursday, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta teased the upcoming launch of a new app, code-named Project 92, that will rival Twitter. Internally, the app is expected to be called Threads, according to sources cited by The Verge. Demonstrated during the meeting by Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, the app is set to launch through Instagram and is intended to provide creators with a “stable place to build and grow their audiences,” Cox stated. The aim is to create a platform that is safe to use, simple to navigate and reliable, he added. Cox also took a swipe at Twitter boss Elon Musk, claiming that Meta would offer creators and public figures a “platform that is sanely run”.