Meta is creating a standalone platform for those who love to argue on the internet

People love to argue on social media about everything — from football match results to reality show finales. Usually, all these armchair battles just end with hundreds of comments. But Mark Zuckerberg decided that this human instinct could be a great way to make money, and started developing a dedicated platform for it. 

This was reported by The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the project. For now, the new app goes by the code name "Arena". The app's goal is simple: to turn endless internet debates into a full-fledged prediction platform where users can back up their opinions with bets. 

Unlike Polymarket and other crypto prediction platforms, Meta is betting on a mass audience. Zuckerberg has a user base of three billion Facebook and Instagram users, ad algorithms, and a social graph to ensure virality. The system will automatically understand who to offer a bet about the World Cup final, and who to offer one about the Bitcoin exchange rate. 

Why a standalone app

Arena will not be built into Facebook or Instagram — it is a completely standalone app, and there are several reasons for this: 

• Insulation from regulators. Real-money betting is a legal minefield. If something goes wrong, only Arena will take the hit. Zuckerberg does not want to risk Meta's core products. 

• A fresh image. Facebook is often associated with the older generation and fake news. Arena needs a young, competitive audience.

• Flexibility. A separate service allows changing formats and testing different monetization models without the need to drag along the technical foundation of the main Facebook platform. 

At the same time, intense debates are currently taking place inside Meta itself about how exactly this will work: on one hand, they want to launch full-fledged real-money debates; on the other hand, they need to somehow bypass strict gambling laws. Therefore, it is possible that at launch, instead of real cash, some kind of virtual currency or points will appear there.

Zuckerberg was clearly inspired by the explosive success of the crypto platform Polymarket, which made headlines worldwide during the US elections. Millions of people who are ready to argue until they are hoarse are already active on Meta's social networks, so why not give them a convenient, native platform for it?

The project is still in its early stages, and the exact release date is kept secret, but the very idea of turning casual debates into a commercial venture looks intriguing, to say the least.