Facebook clones Snapchat again with WhatsApp Status and Direct Photos

For those keeping count, we're up to 17 copies, acquisition attempts, or inspirations

Not content with taking on Snapchat by shipping two clones of Snapchat Stories, attempting two acquisitions (one of Snapchat, one of a Chinese company making Snapchat-style camera apps), making four standalone Snapchat-style apps, bundling two ephemeral messaging implementations, and creating five new cameras with AR lenses, (see also here, here, here, here, here, here and here), Facebook is again shamelessly taking on Snapchat.

Twice.