Zuckerberg's Meta tries to lure Oprah and the Dalai Lama to help launch rival Twitter

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta already boasts 3.8 billion users across all platforms. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Meta is trying to lure Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama to his future Twitter rival, while Mark Zuckerberg is trying to take on Elon Musk.

Facebook's owner plans to launch a new text-based social networking app internally called Threads.

Chris Cox, director of product at Meta, reportedly named the app in development. «our response to Twitter».

The new app will compete with Twitter and attempt to take advantage of Musk's increasingly chaotic management.

The plan was internally codenamed «Project 92». according to The Verge, which first released the details.

The company showed off test screenshots of a new app that included a button similar to Twitter's retweet feature.

Mr. Cox told staff at a general meeting that the Meta is in talks with a high-ranking Twitter. users, including Ms. Winfrey and the Dalai Lama, encouraging them to open accounts on the new app.

Development of the app began in January, according to The Verge, and the company aims to launch the app as soon as possible. .

This plan came about because some users were frustrated with Twitter, which has gone through a lot of design changes and witnessed advertiser withdrawal.

Elon Musk has led massive layoffs on Twitter, as well as a failed attempt to monetize the platform. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Rival apps including Mastodon and Bluesky, a new service developed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, are gaining new users.

Meanwhile, some advertisers have abandoned Twitter after Musk lifted the blocking of a number of accounts previously banned by the social network after its takeover last year.

Mr Musk insists the changes were made to protect free speech. , but activists have warned that the company has reinstated dozens of accounts previously banned for spreading hate.

Mr. Cox reportedly told Meta employees, «We have heard from creators and public figures who are interested to make it a smart platform that they feel they can trust and rely on for distribution.”

More than 3.8 billion people already use at least one of the Meta apps, including WhatsApp and Instagram .

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On Thursday, the company also announced changes to WhatsApp that will make it a more direct competitor to Twitter.

The private messaging service will now allow users to send messages to large numbers of followers .< /p>

A new feature in the Channels app will encourage users to follow updates from celebrities and organizations, similar to how many people use Twitter.