Report: Meta Aims to Launch Text-Based Twitter Rival This Summer

Meta is reportedly developing a text-based app that will work closely with Instagram.

The new app, which will compete with Twitter, has been in the testing phase with celebrities and influencers for months and is being prepared for release as soon as June, Bloomberg reported Friday (May 19), citing unnamed sources.

The report also cited a Twitter thread posted by Lia Haberman, a lecturer on marketing at UCLA Extension, which included a screenshot of a description of the app.

Instagram-owner Meta did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

News site Money Control reported in March, citing unnamed sources, that Meta “is hashing out a plan to build a standalone text-based content app that will support ActivityPub, the decentralized social networking protocol powering Twitter rival Mastodon and other federated apps.”

Meta later responded to that story, saying, “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.”

The chaos around Twitter since its acquisition by Elon Musk has created an opportunity for competitors to pick up users who are looking for another platform, according to Friday’s Bloomberg report.

Meta’s new app will enable users to create text and attach links, photos and videos, according to the screenshot posted by Haberman.

It will also enable users to use just one tap to follow on the new app all the accounts they follow on Instagram and automatically block the same accounts they’ve blocked on Instagram, the screenshot said.

In time, the new text-based app will also interact with certain other apps like Mastodon, enabling users of those apps to search for and follow accounts on the new app, per the screenshot.

Meanwhile, Twitter’s new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, said she is excited to “transform” that social media platform.

Yaccarino, a former NBCUniversal ad executive named CEO by Twitter owner Elon Musk on May 12, tweeted Saturday (May 13) to thank her new boss, saying, “I’ve long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I’m excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together!”