Meta is working on the development of a decentralized and text-based social network. According to MoneyControl, in front of the project is the current head of Instagram, Adam Mosseriand the company’s legal department is already working to find out and clear up privacy-related issues and concerns before the app is released to the public.
The new decentralized social network, which for the moment has the name of P92, is still in development. According to the documentation that they have been able to see about it in MoneyControl, users who want to connect to it can do so using the credentials they use to access their Instagram accounts, which can generate rejection for those who do not want to share information with another network and app. of Goal. It will also carry the branding of said network. If Instagram data is used to connect to it, each user will see their account populate with the information they have in their Instagram account. But once this first connection is made, the sharing of Instagram data with P92 will be minimal.
Since the network will be decentralized, users will be able to start their own servers, and establish their own rules to moderate the content on them. In addition, your users will be able to send your posts to those who are on other servers. Of course, it is unknown if they can follow each other as well.
For now it is unknown if there will be other systems to connect to it. There is also no date for its release. The only thing that they have commented from Meta about it so far is that they are «exploring an independent decentralized social network to share text updates«. From the company they also point out that they believe there is an opportunity «for a separate space where creators and public figures can share updates about their interests whenever they want to«.
This step taken by Meta may be an attempt to develop an alternative to Twitter, which is having more and more operating problems and which in recent months has disenchanted many of its former users, with controversial decisions such as the end of free use of its API. It has also scared off the vast majority of its advertisers.
It is also being posed as potential competition to Mastodon, a decentralized network that has grown in popularity after Elon Musk bought Twitter, fired most of its employees, and made numerous controversial decisions regarding the social network. Apparently, the developers of this new Meta app would have plans for P92 to be compatible with ActivityPub, the protocol on which Mastodon bases its operation. This would make it easier to connect to other services and networks based on it, apart from Mastodon instances.
Meta account, yes, with a list of functions that you want the network to have, among which are the links that can be opened with a touch from the publications, with their previews. Also the ability to share images and videos, and you’ll probably want to offer some form of verification, though whether or not this will cost extra is not known.
Users will be able to comment on posts and send private messages, but it is not known when these functions will arrive, because there are doubts that they will be available in a first version. Also, in Meta they’re not sure if they’re going to give their users the ability to share posts, something that they can do in other networks. It is not yet known if the company has already begun to develop the app for this social network, or if it is still in its planning and design phase.
