The new “text-based app” for Instagram may allow users to publish updates in a timeline format similar to Twitter.
In her ICYMI Substack newsletter, Lia Haberman discovered what seems to be a plagiarized marketing presentation along with information about the app. This gives us our first look at the rumored text-based competitor to Instagram that is supposed to be comparable to Twitter.
Even though the presentation only references “Instagram’s new text-based app for conversations” and doesn’t identify the app by name, Haberman alleges that the software is known by the codenames P92 and Barcelona. This is the case even though the presentation only refers to “Instagram’s new text-based discussion app. This is true despite the presentation mentioning “Instagram’s new text-based app for conversations.” After successfully signing in using your Instagram account, the data from the main Instagram app, including your followers, handle, bio, and verification status, will be transferred across—your Instagram username and password.
You can make articles with a maximum character count of 500, and you are free to add links, photos, and videos to your contributions. After that, users can share these posts inside the app’s feed.
Two screenshots obtained from the advertising presentation that was secretly uploaded to the internet give the impression that the app is comparable to the result that would be produced by merging Instagram and Twitter. According to the PowerPoint presentation, Meta will debut with extensive moderating tools already built in. These capabilities are described as “equipping you with settings to control who can reply to you and mention your account.” It would seem that any Instagram accounts you have blocked will remain blocked even after you remove them from your list.
The new Instagram text app’s decentralized nature is an even more crucial component of the program overall. During the presentation that Instagram delivered, the business said, “Our app will soon be compatible with specific other apps, such as Mastodon.” Users of these other apps will be able to find you and follow you if your profile and content are available to the public, but if they are hidden from view, you will be forced to authorize user requests to follow you manually. If your profile and content are open to the public, users of these other apps can find and follow you. ActivityPub, which has the potential to enable the required compatibility, has been investigated by Meta and numerous other software companies.
This widely available application has the potential to bring Instagram’s already enormous user base to even greater heights, and it all starts with its accessibility. As Twitter’s service deteriorates, many platform users seek alternatives to satisfy their social media needs. Users of a text-based Instagram app could continue posting even if they don’t actively seek new followers on other social media platforms. This is a significant advantage in light of the emergence of social networks like Mastodon and Bluesky. Users of Instagram would therefore be able to escape the distraction of always trying to stay up with the competition thanks to this feature.
Meta was sure that she would not provide any further information. The company announced Platformer in March, saying, “We’re exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates.” This piece of information was sent to Platformer. We believe there is a need for a platform where influential people and artists can have conversations in real-time about the side projects they are working on.
