Hotline events, unlike Clubhouse, are also documented.
According to TechCrunch, Facebook is testing an app called Hotline that shares some of the characteristics of Clubhouse, an invitation-only audio chat room app, but allows speakers, or makers, to appear on video as well as audio. Eric Hazzard, the founder of Hotline, built the app ‘tbh,’ which was acquired by Facebook in 2017 and shut down not long after.
Nick Huber, a real estate investor, was the first creator to experience the product, and he led a session yesterday afternoon (April 7th). He appears to be one of Facebook’s target Hotline creators, as he caters to those interested in investing or personal/professional growth.
Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, and other audio-only chat room networks are similar to Hotline. A speaker area, to the left on PC and top on mobile, features the event host as a live video stream or an audio symbol. The event’s listeners can be found on the right or below.
Anyone can join the conversation as a listener by joining in with Twitter and proving their identity via SMS. Members of the audience can either listen or ask questions, and they can up- or downvote questions from a list. The author can utilise that list to decide which question to answer next, and even invite the questioner onto the stage to start a conversation. Listeners who enter the stage right now appear in audio only, however there is an option to pick video, which hasn’t been enabled yet.
Each session is completely under the authority of the hosts, who can delete listeners or questions at any time. Early events are also being moderated by Facebook staff, who will remove anyone who violates the company’s terms of service, community standards, or other rules. Sessions are also recorded as audio and video files, unlike Clubhouse. Creators can then share them on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms.
Because sessions are recorded and topics are posed in writing before being discussed, the Hotline may appeal more to professional users. Currently, anyone in the United States can join a Hotline, and there is no limit on the number of listeners. An Engadget’s popular article.
