VOA慢速英语2021--社交媒体上的实时语音通信

A growing number of social media companies are currently developing ways for their users to communicate through voice. The latest company to announce such a service was Twitter, which launched its new offering last week.

Moves to add audio as a way for users to connect demonstrate the popularity of the social media app Clubhouse, a social network based completely on voice communication.

Clubhouse was launched in March 2020 by two American businessmen. It permits users to communicate through audio in virtual discussion rooms, also known as "chatrooms." There are many rooms covering a wide range of subjects and users can create their own rooms.

People who want to join the app must first be approved after being invited by someone who already has it. Clubhouse had only been available for iPhone users since its launch. But a new version for Android devices was released to U.S. users this week and is set to launch soon in other countries.

Clubhouse was launched during the coronavirus pandemic when people around the world faced restrictions¹ that kept them at home. Its popularity grew after appearances on the app by several famous people, including Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk².

Clubhouse reached a high of 9.6 million downloads in February, industry researcher Sensor³ Tower reported. However, downloads of the app then dropped to 2.7 million in March, Sensor Tower said. Clubhouse recently reported it had about 10 million active weekly users.

In some parts of the world, the app has become a favored place to speak freely about issues considered too sensitive to discuss in public or on other forms of social media.

The app also rose in popularity in the Arab world, Reuters news agency reports. People in places such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq used the service to have open debates on sensitive subjects such as women's rights and sexual identity.

Bloomberg reported last month that Twitter was in talks to buy Clubhouse for $4 billion. The talks did not result in a deal. However, Twitter recently launched its own live audio product, called Spaces.

Twitter's new service is currently only available to users with 600 or more followers⁴. Those users can open, or host, their own virtual "Space," and can also charge people money to enter. Twitter says it plans to offer the service to all users in the future.

"You've always followed people for their Tweets," Twitter said in a statement. "Now Spaces lets you hear their voices and talk about what's happening now and what's most important to you – live."

Facebook is also preparing to offer voice communications when it launches its planned Live Audio Rooms service. The company said last month it would first test the service in Facebook Groups before making it available to all users by the summer. It also plans to add live audio to its Messenger service to permit one-on-one or group audio conversations among Facebook friends.

Last month, the social network Reddit launched its own new live audio service called Talk, which offers live voice communication between users. And in March, job networking site LinkedIn also confirmed to TechCrunch that it was working on a live voice product to connect users.

There are other, lesser⁵ known, apps that already offer live voice audio. Two of them -- Stereo and Spoon -- mainly aim to provide social communications similar to Clubhouse. Others include Discord⁶, which is popular for gamers, and Yac, which has tools aimed at improving work meetings.

Words in This Story

app – n. a computer application or program used for a specific purpose

virtual – adj. something that exists in computers or on the internet, and that is not physical

conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 musk   

n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫

参考例句：

• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
• She scented her clothes with musk.她用麝香使衣服充满了香味。

3 sensor   

n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）

参考例句：

• The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
• He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

4 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

5 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

6 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。