Bluesky, the self-proclaimed “billionaire-proof” micro-blogging platform, is stealing the spotlight with more than 13 million users already on board.
Touted as a fresh alternative to Elon Musk’s X, the platform is gaining traction fast—adding about a million new members daily since the last presidential election and Musk’s controversial leadership pivot. It has even topped the Apple App Store charts.
Bluesky promises to be unique, deviating from established social media standards by avoiding control by any single company. As the platform puts it, it is intended to embody the spirit of the early internet—a network created by and for its users.
Who’s behind Bluesky?
Bluesky has an interesting backstory. It began as an internal project at Twitter in 2019, led by Jack Dorsey. After leaving Twitter in 2021, Dorsey turned his focus to building Bluesky into a decentralised, open-source alternative to today’s social media giants. The platform officially launched in 2022, but Dorsey stepped away earlier this year, deleting his account and even encouraging users to stick with X.
Since Dorsey’s departure, leadership has been handed over to CEO Jay Graber, a software engineer with a strong background in decentralised tech and privacy-focused cryptocurrency projects. She is joined by a team that includes Jeremie Miller, inventor of the Jabber/XMPP protocol, and Mike Masnick, founder of TechDirt.
What makes Bluesky different?
Bluesky’s community guidelines revolve around empowering users, fostering a welcoming environment, and evolving through feedback. While these principles seem great on paper, their application is still in progress. The platform prohibits harmful content such as hate speech, harassment, and scams, but critics have pointed out some gaps, such as the absence of explicit protections against misgendering and deadnaming.
Unlike traditional platforms, Bluesky’s moderation approach is decentralised. Users can curate their own experiences by subscribing to different feeds and moderation styles. The platform relies on a mix of automated filtering, manual actions by server administrators, and community-driven labeling to keep potentially contentious content in check.
Privacy and advertising on Bluesky
Bluesky takes a strong stance on user privacy. While it collects basic personal information like birth dates and email addresses, the platform has vowed not to use this data for training generative AI systems. It also steers clear of traditional advertising models that rely on user data for hyper-targeted ads—a refreshing departure from industry norms.
However, Bluesky continues to exchange data with third parties for administrative and marketing purposes. It also requires users to be at least 13 years old to sign up, with stricter content settings for minors. However, the platform doesn’t support ID verification, citing some concerns.
The future of Bluesky
Bluesky is carving out a space in the social media landscape due to its rapid growth and commitment to decentralisation. Its innovative moderation model and user-centric approach are a stark contrast to the centralised control seen on platforms such as X. It is unclear if it will be able to maintain its momentum and address concerns about harmful content.
For the time being, Bluesky is offering a new perspective on what social networking could be—something built with its users rather than corporate interests in mind.
See also: Meta, TikTok face half-billion dollar legal challenge in Brazil over minor protection
Interested in hearing leading global brands discuss subjects like this in person? Find out more about Digital Marketing World Forum (#DMWF) Europe, London, North America, and Singapore.
