Instagram, which is owned by Meta, is releasing a Twitter-like app as early as June to go head-to-head with the Elon Musk-owned social media platform.
“Instagram has been secretly testing a text-based app similar to Twitter for months with celebrities and influencers and is preparing to launch it as early as June, Bloomberg reported Friday, as some people look to leave Twitter due to changes made under CEO Elon Musk,” reported Fortune.
“The app will be separate from Instagram—which is owned by Meta—though users will be able to connect their accounts and follow all of the people they follow on Instagram on the new app with just one click, according to a screenshot posted by Lia Haberman, professor of social and influencer marketing at UCLA and author of the newsletter ICYMI.”
Haberman says users will be able to make posts with up to 500 characters, and it will be integrated with the social media site Mastodon, where many liberals have fled to after Musk’s $44 billion buyout of Twitter.
The company has reportedly been testing its platform with celebrities and influencers ahead of its scheduled Summer launch.
“A recent study by Pew Research Center found that while people are still logging on Twitter, the most active Twitter users are posting about 25% less after Musk’s acquisition. The study also found that six in 10 Americans who used Twitter in the past year reported taking a break from the platform, and 25% of respondents said they aren’t likely to be on the platform one year from now,” added Fortune.
Mark Zuckerberg’s latest offering at Meta has the potential to either be a massive flop or be a competitive rival to Twitter. Only time will tell.