Audio-based social media app Clubhouse is garnering quite its share of attention as celebrities and influencers hop on board, and so of course Facebook is already working on a clone it can roll out on its own platform.
Mark Zuckerberg's platform has been quick off the mark to ape innovative ideas introduced on rival social media apps, and after Elon Musk's Clubhouse chat with Robinhood app founder last week drew a lot of eyeballs, audio is the next frontier.
The New York Times reports Facebook execs have given the go ahead to get the ball rolling on a similar product that's currently in the early development stages. When asked for comment, Facebook head of communications, and new product experimentation, Emilie Haskell, said:
"We’ve been connecting people through audio and video technologies for many years and are always exploring new ways to improve that experience for people."
- iPhone SE 3 breaks cover in stunning new video
- WhatsApp update finally fixes one of the chat app's biggest annoyances
- Samsung Galaxy S21 now a steal over Apple iPhone 12 - here's why
Facebook has a reputation for buying out burgeoning social media apps, like Instagram, and WhatsApp; its proclivity for lifting features from those it hasn't been able to procure for one reason or another is also well-known. The results aren't always favorable to users, with Facebook recently rolling our controversial privacy policy changes on WhatsApp that saw people looking for WhatsApp alternatives, and fleeing the app for rival Signal.
Given Clubhouse's exclusivity, the move to take the concept and copy it as much as possible without overstepping legally may pan out well for Facebook. If you'd rather hold out for a Clubhouse invite, check out T3's guide on how to sign up for Clubhouse; although Facebook might debut its own version before you manage to get in!
