Meta, the parent company of Instagram, reportedly shared its intention to launch a text-based messaging application during a confidential meeting with a limited number of creators. Leaked screenshots of the alleged app reveal that its user interface is similar to Twitter. Lia Haberman, a professor of influencer marketing and social media marketing at the University of California, Los Angeles Extension, discovered Instagram’s plan to compete with Twitter. Haberman stated that the text-based app is decentralized and will operate as a separate application, despite being built on top of Instagram. Additionally, the app will be compatible with other decentralized social media platforms such as Mastodon, allowing users to reach a larger audience.
The forthcoming application will retain a centralized feed similar to Twitter, enabling users to access content such as text, images, and videos shared by their followers and suggested accounts. Each post in the form of text will be restricted to a maximum of 500 characters.
The upcoming application that will compete with Twitter will operate independently of Instagram, but the creator controls and account safety features, such as blocked accounts and keywords, will be transferred to the new app.
According to insiders, Bloomberg reporter Sarah Frier confirmed the development of a Twitter-like application by Instagram. In March, Meta announced that it was exploring the creation of a decentralized social network solely for sharing text updates. The company believed that there was an opportunity for a separate platform where public figures and creators could share timely updates on their interests.
In an effort to further decentralize the internet, TBD, a division of Block, Jack Dorsey’s fintech company, has introduced a Web5 decentralized web platform. The platform aims to introduce decentralized identity and data storage to applications. To enable a decentralized web experience, the Web5 platform will introduce several key components and use decentralized identifiers.
