Description
Facebook owner Meta is working on a new social media platform for "text sharing," it said on Friday, in a project seen as a potential rival to Twitter. Since billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter in October, the influential website has seen outages, layoffs and advertisers leaving the platform due to lack of content moderation. But so far, no major alternative to Twitter has emerged, leaving world leaders, politicians, celebrities, and businesses with no choice but to continue communicating via the platform.
Following reports from India-based news websites Platformer and Moneycontrol, Meta confirmed on Friday that it is starting work on the new platform.
“We are exploring a decentralized, autonomous social network for sharing text updates,” Meta said in a brief emailed statement.
"We believe there is an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates on their interests," the statement added.
Media said the new Meta app will use technology that allows it to be interoperable with Mastodon's niche network and other platforms.
It would be a complete break from the usual practice of tech giants, where platforms like Instagram or YouTube are kept behind technological walls and run using company servers under strict rules.
Mastodon operates from decentralized computer servers, with no central administration or command authority.
In December, Musk briefly banned Twitter accounts that provided links to other social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Mastodon.
