Instagram Reborn? Photo-sharing app’s founders launch new social app for news reading

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger practically changed how the world functions when they launched Instagram. Instagram not only changed the very concept of social media and what it entails, but it would also go on to change how consumerism works, how advertising works, and how marketing works. It seems that Systrom and Krieger are trying to recreate that paradigm shift, with an all-new venture.

The duo have launched a new venture to explore social apps, and their debut product is called Artifact, which, is a personalised news reader. Think of it as Flipboard, or InShorts, but with more social media or Instagram-like flavour. Or, the now-defunct, Google Reader.

The software is not yet publicly accessible, but interested users can sign up for a waitlist. As mentioned, it appears to be a modernised version of Google Reader, a long-defunct RSS newsreader programme that Google discontinued in 2013. 

Artifact is characterised as a newsreader that employs machine learning to tailor the end user’s experience while also incorporating social components that allow users to debate items they come across with peers.

According to The Verge, Artifact will initially display a curated selection of news pieces, but these will grow increasingly tailored to the user’s preferences over time. Some of the items will come from well-known sources, such as The New York Times, while others may originate from tiny websites. 

Other significant features will include comment controls, separate feeds for stories posted by individuals you follow along with their feedback, and a direct messaging inbox for more private discussions.

The notion appears to coincide with one of Twitter’s larger use cases involving news discussion. It also comes at a time when Twitter users are evaluating new choices following Elon Musk’s ownership of the service, during which he has made many and often contentious changes to the program’s roadmap and regulations, alienating some longstanding users in the process.

In many aspects, the new programme would compete with the social powerhouse Meta, which Instgram’s co-founders abandoned in 2018. 

Today, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, to a lesser extent, serve as portals where billions communicate and engage with news and information, in addition to updates from friends, family, organisations, and companies they follow. Artifact will also face stiff competition from Twitter.

Artifact is currently under development and has not yet been monetised, however, revenue sharing with publishers has been proposed as a viable option. Artifact’s website is currently accepting sign-ups from people with US (+1) phone numbers.

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