(KRON) — Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is considering plans to release a microblogging app that would be an alternative to Twitter, according to a report in Moneycontrol. The platform, which is code-named “P92,” according to the report, would use data of all Instagram users, regardless of whether they opted in to being part of it.
The platform would support ActivityPub, a decentralized social networking protocol that powers Twitter alternative, Mastodon, Moneycontrol said, citing people reportedly familiar with the project. “P92” would reportedly be Instagram branded, facilitating login through users’ Instagram credentials.
It’s not clear whether the app is at an “idea-stage or the development has begun on the app,” Moneycontrol said. One source the report cited said the app is still a work in progress.
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“We’re exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates. We believe there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests” said a Meta spokesperson cited in Moneycontrol’s report.
Meta’s exploration of a Twitter alternative, and the rise of Mastodon, both come in the wake of Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of the platform. Musk’s tenure in charge has seen widespread layoffs, resignations, regular failures of the platform’s functionality, and a stream of advertisers jumping ship due to a perception that Twitter is no longer brand-safe.