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Tory MP Louise Mensch launches rival to Twitter | Tory MP Louise Mensch launches rival to Twitter |
(40 minutes later) | |
Conservative MP Louise Mensch has launched a microblogging site to rival Twitter. | Conservative MP Louise Mensch has launched a microblogging site to rival Twitter. |
Ms Mensch is a prolific Twitter user with almost 60,000 followers but said she has grown "frustrated" with it. | Ms Mensch is a prolific Twitter user with almost 60,000 followers but said she has grown "frustrated" with it. |
Her new site - Menshn - aims to keep conversations on topic and allows 180 character posts - 40 more than Twitter. | Her new site - Menshn - aims to keep conversations on topic and allows 180 character posts - 40 more than Twitter. |
The site, jointly owned by ex-Labour digital adviser Luke Bozier, is only available in the US but aims to launch in the UK before the London Olympics. | The site, jointly owned by ex-Labour digital adviser Luke Bozier, is only available in the US but aims to launch in the UK before the London Olympics. |
Discussion on Menshn has initially been restricted to the US election but Ms Mensch says it will expand to reflect users' interests. | Discussion on Menshn has initially been restricted to the US election but Ms Mensch says it will expand to reflect users' interests. |
When new members join they gain 100 randomly selected subscribers, equivalent to Twitter followers. | When new members join they gain 100 randomly selected subscribers, equivalent to Twitter followers. |
'Inspiration' | 'Inspiration' |
Mr Bozier said: "With all the great political forums out there, we noticed that there was no place to talk about politics live. | Mr Bozier said: "With all the great political forums out there, we noticed that there was no place to talk about politics live. |
"Whereas Twitter is not organised around topics, on menshn you have a permanent place to go online to talk about the things you're most interested in." | "Whereas Twitter is not organised around topics, on menshn you have a permanent place to go online to talk about the things you're most interested in." |
Twitter users can organise discussions through the use of hashtags or searching by keyword and choose whose Tweets they read by following or unfollowing other users. | |
The new site has had a largely hostile reaction from Twitter users so far, with some accusing Ms Mensch of vanity and predicting that the site will flop. | The new site has had a largely hostile reaction from Twitter users so far, with some accusing Ms Mensch of vanity and predicting that the site will flop. |
The Corby MP has insisted the site's name is not a pun on her surname, as it is spelled differently, and is, rather, a play on the word "mention". | The Corby MP has insisted the site's name is not a pun on her surname, as it is spelled differently, and is, rather, a play on the word "mention". |
Users who type "menschn.com" into web browsers are currently being redirected to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament site. | |
Ms Mensch, who was a "chick lit" novelist before becoming an MP in 2010, said she hopes the site would attract Twitter users who find the site "frustrating". | Ms Mensch, who was a "chick lit" novelist before becoming an MP in 2010, said she hopes the site would attract Twitter users who find the site "frustrating". |
She told The Guardian: "This is an idea that I've had since Christmas. I've been a passionate user of social media since the days of AOL chatrooms, and that was the inspiration really." | She told The Guardian: "This is an idea that I've had since Christmas. I've been a passionate user of social media since the days of AOL chatrooms, and that was the inspiration really." |
Last month, Ms Mensch, who says she hopes to raise venture capital backing for her new site, criticised "immoral and misogynistic" Twitter users for subjecting her to abuse. | Last month, Ms Mensch, who says she hopes to raise venture capital backing for her new site, criticised "immoral and misogynistic" Twitter users for subjecting her to abuse. |
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