META has been developing a new Twitter competitor that will be based on Instagram.
The app, which is currently dubbed Project 92, will integrate with ActivityPub, an open decentralized social media protocol.
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Development on the app began in January and Meta plans to make it available “as soon as we can,” according to Meta chief product officer Chris Cox, per The Verge.
The company has already secured commitments from some celebrities to use the app, including DJ Slime and potentially Oprah.
Cox called the app, which will use Instagram’s account system to populate a user’s information, Meta’s “response to Twitter.”
“We’ve been hearing from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run, that they believe that they can trust and rely upon for distribution,” Cox said.
The comment seemed to throw shade at Twitter’s newest owner Elon Musk, who purchased the company in October.
Since Musk’s takeover, Twitter has been criticized for letting misinformation and harassment run amok on the site.
Meta, on the other hand, hopes to provide an environment that promotes “safety, ease of use, [and] reliability.”
Cox added that Project 92 wants to ensure that creators have a “stable place to build and grow their audiences.”
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PROJECT 92
Here’s what we know about the app, which could publically be called Threads, so far.
According to leaks from May, users will be able to post text updates up to 500 characters.
Users will also be able to attach links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long.
And, like all other Meta-owned platforms, users will be able to engage via likes, replies, and reposts.
Meta has not yet announced a release date for the app, but it is expected to be released in the near future.
Once live, it will likely be available on both iOS and Android devices.
