Meta Platforms Inc, formerly known as Facebook, is reportedly exploring the development of a standalone decentralized social network app for sharing text updates, which could pose a direct competition to Twitter Inc, owned by billionaire Elon Musk. A spokesperson from Meta confirmed the company’s interest in exploring a decentralized platform, stating that they believe there is an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests.
According to reports, Meta’s new content app would utilize ActivityPub, a decentralized social networking protocol that powers Mastodon, a Twitter rival, and other federated apps. While Twitter and Facebook are controlled by a central authority, a company, decentralized platforms like Mastodon are hosted on thousands of computer servers, mainly operated by volunteer administrators who combine their systems together in a federation.
The move towards decentralization aligns with Meta’s previous statements of being interested in blockchain technology and exploring the possibility of a decentralized internet. It also reflects the company’s effort to diversify its social media portfolio and expand beyond its current platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
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