--- title: "Facebook Is Working on a Twitter Clone That Nobody Asked For" description: "P92 In a surprise to absolutely no one, Facebook-turned-Meta has once again decided that the best way to beat 'em — if it can't just absorb them like the Blob, that is — is to copy 'em. Multiple outlets are reporting that in an attempt to plug the void that the now-Elon-Musk-owned Twitter may or […]" date: "2023-03-10" modified: "2023-03-10" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/facebook-working-twitter-clone" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "facebook" - "Meta" - "the digest" - "twitter" --- # Facebook Is Working on a Twitter Clone That Nobody Asked For ![In an attempt to compete with Twitter, the extremely-centralized Facebook-turned-Meta is building a decentralized, text-based Twitter alternative.]() *\Image: Mandel Ngan via Getty / Futurism\* ## P92 In a surprise to absolutely no one, Meta-formerly-Facebook has once again decided that the best way to beat 'em is to shamelessly copy 'em. In an attempt to plug the void that the now-Elon-Musk-owned Twitter may or may not be leaving, Meta is building a decentralized, text-based Twitter alternative. It's unclear when the app might roll out, [but according to *Platformer*](), Instagram head Adam Mosseri is in charge of the project, which has been internally dubbed " P92." According to [*MoneyControl*]() — which first reported on the story — the app "will be Instagram-branded," and users will be able to register and login through their Instagram credentials. "We're exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates," Meta told *Platformer* in an email. "We believe there's an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests." ## Consistency is Key Given Meta's past attempts to compete with YouTube and TikTok with video efforts like IGTV and Reels, a major Meta push to rope in Twitter's user base was probably inevitable. And besides, at one fleeting point in time, Facebook actually was a place where people who weren't over the age of 60 did, in fact, post text updates. What *is* a little surprising, though, is their decision to opt for a decentralized platform, considering that Meta's products themselves couldn't be less decentralized — a telling sign that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is hoping to not only compete with Twitter but also with similarly decentralized Twitter alternatives like Mastodon and the [Jack Dorsey-founded BlueSky](). "The history of Meta is that they are much better acquirers than they are innovators or developers," Thomas Hayes, chairman and managing member of New York-based Great Hill Capita, [told *Reuters*](), "as far as copying Twitter, this is just a defensive move." In any case, it'll be interesting to see what Zuckerberg and company will come up with. Here's hoping it's a little more impactful than [Instagram Notes](). **READ MORE:** [*Meta is building a decentralized, text-based social network*]() \[*Platformer*\] **More on Meta:** [*Mark Zuckerberg Bows to Peer Pressure, Announces Pivot to AI*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()