Meta Tests New Social Media App in ‘Response to Twitter’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Forbes reported that Meta, the founding company of Facebook and Instagram, has tested a new app in contest to Twitter.
The reason behind the new app is in response to Elon Musk taking over Twitter.
“Many frustrated users have posted publicly about finding an alternative to Twitter since billionaire Elon Musk took over in October 2022 and began quickly making changes to the platform, ranging from adding an algorithm-driven “For You” page, to eliminating moderation teams charged with eliminating offensive content, to charging people to be verified and get access to features like an edit button,” Forbes reported.
In house, the new app has been named “Project 92” or “Barcelona.” Meta told tech journalist, Casey Newton, that the company, “believe(d) there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests.”
Bloomberg reported that Meta has tested the app on celebrities and influencers for months but has kept it quiet.
In addition, Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, said that the app is supposed to offer a safe, easy to use, and reliable option for creators to have a “stable place to build and grow their audiences.”
“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 stated.
“Cox said the company already has celebrities committed to using the app, including DJ Slime, and was in discussions with other big names, including Oprah and the Dalai Lama,” The Verge reported.
Movieguide® previously reported:
The FTC is accusing Meta of failing to comply with a 2020 privacy order, misleading users about how their personal information is collected and used, as well as misrepresenting its child safety features.
In 2020, Meta was slammed with a $5 billion fine for failure to provide transparency about its business practices. The company was punished for misleading users about their privacy for years.
The FTC announced on Wednesday that Meta “has failed to fully comply with the [2020] order, misled parents about their ability to control with whom their children communicated through its messenger Kids app, and misrepresented the access it provided some app developers to private user data.”
The announcement also alleges that Meta violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
“Facebook has repeatedly violated its privacy promises,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said. “The company’s recklessness has put younger users at risk, and Facebook needs to answer for its failures.”
