SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 11, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Facebook is looking to carve out
its own spot on the audio social networking scene that has seen invitation-
only startup Clubhouse rocket to popularity, the New York Times reported on
Wednesday.
Executives at Facebook have ordered employees to create a version of
Clubhouse, an app which lets users drop into virtual “rooms” to voice-chat
about any topic, the New York Times said, citing unnamed people familiar with
the situation.
Clubhouse has attracted an array of big names, from celebrities to
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg himself, who stopped in on the app recently to
talk about augmented and virtual realities.
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk tweeted on Wednesday that he agreed to
“do Clubhouse with @kanyewest,” causing an instant stir in rooms at the
social network.
Clubhouse exploded in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic when
people could not get together in person — but now the once-niche platform
has far higher goals.
Launched less than a year ago, Clubhouse — which recently encountered
censorship trouble in China — is looking to establish itself as the
standard-bearer for digital audio.
The concept is simple: once you’re invited to join, you can start or
listen to conversations in digital “rooms,” ranging from a major talk by
someone famous to a chat within a small group.
No posts, no photos, no videos — just audio.
The app is available only on Apple devices for now.
The New York Times quoted a Facebook spokeswoman as saying the internet
firm has “been connecting people through audio and video technologies for
many years and (is) always exploring new ways to improve that experience for
people.”