In a surprising turn of events, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has launched a new text-based app called Threads that directly competes with platforms like Twitter. However, the app’s launch has already garnered controversy as Elon Musk’s lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta within 24 hours of its release.
The letter accuses Meta of hiring “dozens” of former Twitter employees and using them to create Threads, which Musk’s legal team considers a “copycat” app. According to the letter, some of these employees still have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other confidential information, raising concerns about intellectual property infringement.
Since taking over Twitter eight months ago, Elon Musk has made drastic changes to the platform, including laying off almost half of the company’s 7,800 employees at the time. Despite facing criticism for these actions, Musk showed little remorse, stating in a tweet that he believes the laid-off employees’ talent will be valuable elsewhere.
Now, Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, is alleging that Meta has unlawfully misappropriated Twitter’s trade secrets and intellectual property. The cease-and-desist letter claims that Meta’s hiring of former Twitter employees poses a threat, as they may have retained Twitter documents and electronic devices.
A source familiar with both companies revealed that while there are a few ex-Twitter employees at Meta, none of them are currently involved in the development of Threads. Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone, emphasized this point in a Threads post, stating that none of the app’s engineering team consists of former Twitter employees.
Meta has yet to respond to the cease-and-desist letter, and Alex Spiro has not provided any further comment on the matter. It’s worth noting that since Elon Musk took over Twitter, he has made significant layoffs, reducing the company’s workforce to fewer than 600 engineers.
Under Musk’s leadership, Twitter has also undergone controversial changes, including fewer content moderation rules and the introduction of a paid verification process. These changes have led to a wave of discontent among Twitter users and employees, providing an opportunity for Meta to create a rival app.
Meta employees have reportedly seen the chaos at Twitter as a chance to develop an alternative platform, with the company working on Threads for months. The app officially launched on Wednesday and quickly gained over 30 million sign-ups by the next morning, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
As the legal battle between Meta and Elon Musk unfolds, it remains to be seen how this rivalry will impact the social media landscape. With both companies vying for user attention and engagement, the competition between Threads and Twitter is sure to heat up in the coming months.
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