San Francisco: Facebook owner Meta is working on a new “text-sharing” social media platform, it said on Friday, in a project seen as a potential rival to Twitter.
Since billionaire Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter in October, the influential website has seen shutdowns, layoffs and advertisers fleeing the platform due to a lack of content moderation.
But no major alternative to Twitter has yet emerged, leaving world leaders, politicians, celebrities and companies with no choice but to continue communicating through the platform.
Following reports on news websites Platformer and India-based Money Control, Meta confirmed on Friday that it was starting work on the new platform.
“We are looking for a standalone, decentralized 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 about their interests,” the statement added.
Media reports say Meta’s new app will use technology that has allowed it to be interoperable with niche network Mastodon and other platforms.
This would be a clear break from the usual practice of tech giants, where platforms like Instagram or YouTube are kept behind technical walls and operate using company servers under strict rules.
Mastodon runs on decentralized computing servers, with no central administration or authority calling the shots.
In December, Musk briefly banned Twitter accounts that provided links to other social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Mastodon.
