Meta, the company led by Mark Zuckerberg, is working on a new decentralized text-based app, the company confirmed in a statement.
The application, known as P92, will enable users to share written updates and may serve as a substitute for Twitter or a rival to Mastodon, which is a decentralized network that belongs to the fediverse.
Meta’s application also plans to support the ActivityPub protocol, making it easier to connect with other instances such as Mastodon.
Meta is working on a new decentralized, text-based platform
According to MoneyControl, the app will allow logging in via Instagram credentials, which could inconvenience people who don’t want to share that data with another Meta app.
The company is already involving the legal department to catch privacy issues before the app goes public.
Additionally, Platformer reports that the project will be overseen by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. The company is already involving the legal department to detect privacy issues before the app goes public, the report added.
While decentralization is not limited to this protocol, the diversity of protocols is important, as is the diversity of applications built on top of the protocols.
That said, interoperability between ActivityPub and Bluesky will not be difficult. There is already the precedent of messaging applications such as Rocket.chat, which have successfully adopted the Matrix protocol.
It’s important to remember that Meta has tried to create new apps and experiences that haven’t always taken off, killing off experiments like an anonymous app for teens, the Cameo Super-like app, the Nextdoor Neighborhoods clone, the Tuned dating app, the student-centric social network Campus, the Sparked video speed dating service and the TikTok clone Lasso.
It wouldn’t be unexpected if the new decentralized platform ceases to exist a few years after its launch.
Between those instances, Meta has tried many times to enter the decentralized social networking market and has launched several experiments.
Now, with the new P92 application in development, the company appears to be trying to capitalize on the success of the Mastodon social network and other applications that have adopted the ActivityPub protocol.
Decentralization of social networks is an important issue, as it allows users to have more control over their data and greater privacy.
Decentralized networks are also less susceptible to censorship and manipulation since they are not reliant on a single centralized entity.
Nevertheless, as noted by Blaine Cook, a former Twitter engineer, having rival protocols is crucial to promote diversity and compatibility.
As more companies try to enter the decentralized social networking market, more protocols and standards are likely to emerge to help connect different networks together.
The adoption of decentralized social networks will depend on several factors, such as the quality of the user experience, ease of use, and the ability to connect with followers.
While Meta has had some hits and misses in the past, its ability to leverage the success of other platforms and its vast experience in social network development could help drive the success of the new P92 application.
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