Instagram’s rumored text-based Twitter competitor has taken shape, offering a glimpse into its features and potential impact. In a Substack newsletter by Lia Haberman, leaked marketing materials reveal that the app is currently known as “Instagram’s new text based app for conversations” or P92/Barcelona.
The app allows users to sign in using their existing Instagram credentials, seamlessly transferring their followers, handle, bio, and verification from the main platform. It features a feed where users can create text posts of up to 500 characters, accompanied by links, photos, and videos, reminiscent of a fusion between Instagram and Twitter.
The leaked marketing slide showcases the app’s aesthetics, providing a visual representation of its interface. Additionally, it reveals that Meta, the parent company of Instagram, intends to implement robust moderation controls from the start. These controls empower users to manage their interactions by specifying who can reply to their posts or mention their accounts. Notably, blocked accounts from Instagram will also be carried over to the text-based app.
However, the most significant revelation is the app’s element of decentralization. Instagram’s slide mentions future compatibility with other platforms like Mastodon, allowing users from these platforms to search for, follow, and interact with public profiles and content. For private accounts, users will need approval to access their content. This compatibility potentially extends through ActivityPub, an interoperability standard explored by Meta and other technology companies.
The widespread release of this app could propel Instagram to even greater popularity. With Twitter’s (arguably) deteriorating state, users are seeking alternative platforms for sharing tweet-like updates. While platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky have gained traction, a text-based Instagram app offers existing users the convenience of continuing their posting activities without starting from scratch to build a new follower base.
Meta, declined to comment on the leaked information, however, they previously acknowledged their exploration of a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates, emphasizing the need for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely information related to their interests. As anticipation builds, users and industry observers eagerly await further developments regarding this potential game-changing app.
