'Game On': Elon Musk's Twitter Successor Gears Up To Tackle Zuckerberg's 'Secret' Instagram Project

As Meta Platforms Inc. META gears up to launch its Twitter rival, Elon Musk’s successor Linda Yaccarino has accepted the challenge with a resounding battle cry. 

What Happened: On Sunday, Yaccarino, the new CEO of Twitter, responded to a news report about Meta’s soon-to-launch decentralized text-based social media platform, codenamed “P92” and now goes with the name “Barcelona.” 

See Also: WhatsApp Scrambles To Clear The Air After Elon Musk Says Meta’s Messaging Service ‘Cannot Be Trusted’

The microblogging site’s new chief appeared ready for some competition by the Mark Zuckerberg-led company and responded with just two words, “Game on!” 

Game on! https://t.co/62JYrLuuCJ

— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) May 21, 2023

The article in question Yaccarino quote tweeted was about Meta-owned Instagram preparing to launch its decentralized social network in the summer of this year. Meta reportedly shared some screenshots of the new app with a limited number of creators, including Lia Haberman. 

Based on a (somewhat blurry) example I got, Meta's new app looks a lot like Twitter.

So, could this take over all the Twitter screenshots we've been seeing on the Feed lately? Maybe.

It's impossible to predict how audiences will respond but this could be an alternative. pic.twitter.com/xgQa1kUjCl

— Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) May 19, 2023

Yaccarino was previously the chairman of global advertising and partnership at Comcast Corporation’s NBCUniversal. She played a crucial role in launching the ad-supported streaming service Peacock. 

Why It’s Important: Before Yaccarino, Musk also took some potshots at Meta’s Twitter rival. The tech billionaire, who acquired Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion, mocked Zuckerberg for considering launching a rival and called him a “copy cat.”

In December 2022, it was first reported that Meta was scheming to take away Twitter’s “bread and butter.” 

Previously, social media consultant Matt Navarra stated that Meta’s upcoming Twitter rival would function as a standalone app but would be integrated with Instagram. 

Simply put, users will be able to keep their existing handles and passwords. Users’ followers will also receive a notification to follow them on “Barcelona.”

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Photo by WEF on Flickr